Two Utah men are facing multiple federal charges in connection with a scheme to purchase wild horses from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) then sell the animals to horsemeat processors in Mexico.

Prospective clients of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program must demonstrate that they have not been convicted of animal cruelty violations and can provide appropriate care and facilities in a home within the United States. Adoptions of the formerly wild horses don’t become final for one year, during which time BLM personnel may conduct home visits to confirm the animal is receiving appropriate care.

On Aug. 5, the BLM seized 47 horses in Helper, Utah. Another 17 animals were later confiscated from a location in Willard, Utah. The confiscated Mustangs were relocated to the agency’s facility in Herriman, Utah.

According to an indictment handed down on Sept. 14 in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, Robert Wilford Capson and Dennis Kay Kunz are charged with four counts of wire fraud, two counts of false statements, and one count of aiding or abetting