Bandon police arrest West Coast Game Park owner after finding meth, guns and $1.6 million cash

By JUSTIN HIGGINBOTTOM/Jefferson Public Radio

Bandon police arrested Brian Tenney, owner of West Coast Game Park Safari, on Tuesday after officers found drugs, weapons and large amounts of cash at his property.

Authorities served multiple warrants at the roadside zoo on May 15 following a months-long investigation into alleged animal abuse. During the search, the South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team found 80 grams of methamphetamine, according to law enforcement.

A follow-up search uncovered 44 firearms — including one modified into a machine gun — along with cocaine and about $1.6 million in cash, cashier’s checks, bonds and certificates, according to a news release Tuesday by the Coos County Sheriff’s Office.

Tenney faces charges of methamphetamine possession, manufacturing and attempted distribution.

Multiple agencies are investigating the zoo, including Oregon State Police, the Oregon Humane Society, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Internal Revenue Service. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited the zoo dozens of times in the past year for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Inspection reports detail cases of seemingly malnourished animals, unsanitary conditions and unsafe enclosures.

During one visit, a USDA inspector discovered a dead tiger stored in a container meant for animal food. Another report noted missing animals with no documentation of sale or death.

Coos County authorities said he was released from jail pending further investigation by the district attorney’s office.

Last week, police relocated hundreds of the zoo’s animals to sanctuaries.