A view of the entrance to Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna, Calif. 

The owner of a Fortuna animal rescue at the center of a sweeping animal cruelty investigation is publicly accusing Humboldt County’s sheriff of distorting the facts and waging a politically motivated campaign against him.

Nearly three months after investigators began excavating Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna, owner Shannon Miranda issued his most detailed public defense yet, accusing Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal of using “Gestapo tactics” during searches, failing to provide a promised inventory of seized items and selectively releasing information “for publicity rather than to reflect the truth” to benefit his reelection campaign.

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The July 31 statement, provided by attorney Allison G. Jackson of Harland Law Firm LLP and first sent to the Times-Standard, comes as authorities continue investigating alleged animal cruelty, fraud and conspiracy at the longtime rescue. Investigators have exhumed 117 dead dogs, 21 canine skulls and hundreds of additional bones from the property, according to the sheriff’s office.........

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