Woman guilty of sexually abusing teen
Feb. 17—A woman known regionally for accusations about her treatment of animals could spend almost three years in prison for sending sexually explicit messages to a teenage boy and for sexually abusing him.
Lisa Marie Hendren Meatyard, 36, who has also gone by the name Lisa Lewis, met the 14-year-old through another teenage boy in her care, Assistant District Attorney Andrew Jennings said in Caldwell Superior Court.
In September 2019, Meatyard started messaging the boy, suggesting they begin a sexual relationship, and she sent sexually explicit photos of her body to the boy, Jennings said.
The boy was interviewed at the Robin's Nest Children's Advocacy Center in Lenoir, where he said that the two had sexual contact at Meatyard's house, the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office said at the time.
Jennings said there was no evidence that Meatyard forced the boy to do anything, adding that she "manipulated him, because he's young and she's older." He said that the boy is embarrassed about the incident and didn't want to come to court. He was not present during the hearing.
Meatyard pleaded guilty to indecent liberties with a child and disseminating obscenity to a minor.
As part of her plea deal, a charge of statutory sex offense with a child was dismissed.
Meatyard's attorney, Herb Pearce, said in court that Meatyeard has had a difficult life.
Meatyard, who was born in Syracuse, New York, was sexually abused as a child by two family members, Pearce said. He said she needs mental health care.
"She's had a really hard life. ... It's a full circle here, unfortunately," he said.
Judge Daniel Kuehnert sentenced Meatyard to 21-35 months in prison and five years of probation.
Meatyard has been accused recently of neglect of a menagerie of animals she at one time kept on her property.
Meatyard was charged last year with five misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals. She was accused then of failing to feed a 6-month-old Holstein cow named Betty, a mixed-breed dog named Patch, a Husky named Mya, a pit bull named Chloe and a 4-month-old Jersey cow named Oscar, according to court records.
She was convicted on those charges after a trial before a judge in October, but she appealed the conviction, sending the case from Caldwell District Court to Caldwell Superior Court. The case was remanded this week back to District Court, and her conviction will stand, Jennings said. In that case, she was sentenced to 18 months of probation. Aside from a service dog she will be allowed to keep, she has surrendered her animals.
Meatyard previously was convicted twice of obtaining property by false pretenses, a felony. The earliest charge appears to stem from an incident on Jan. 29, 2011, in which she falsely represented herself as the head of a nonprofit organization, Liz and Lizards, in order to obtain nine dogs.
Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 828-610-8721.
Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 828-610-8721.
