Haisley gets four years for robbery, domestic violence charges pending

History catches up to Animal Rescue Corps founder & former HSUS director of investigations

            WASHINGTON D.C.––The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has disclosed that Animal Rescue Corps founder and former Humane Society of the U.S. director of investigations Scotlund Haisley,  51,  of Montgomery County Maryland,  was on September 13,  2019 sentenced to serve to 46 months in prison for robbing and attempting to rob a Washington D.C. Subway sandwich shop,  on two separate occasions in January 2019.

Citing prosecutor Jessie K. Liu,  who thanked assistant prosecutor Michael Romano for handling the case,  the U.S. Attorney’s Office explained that “Haisley pleaded guilty on February 21, 2019,  in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia,  to one charge of attempted robbery on January 20,  2019,  and one charge of robbery on January 24, 2019. He was sentenced by the Honorable Craig Iscoe.

Fundraising at Subway

“According to the government’s evidence,”  the U.S. Attorney’s Office summarized,  “on January 20, 2019,  at approximately 6:34 p.m.,  Haisley” –– once praised as a great fundraiser by former HSUS president Wayne Pacelle –– “entered a Subway sandwich shop with a cap rolled down over his face.  He walked behind the counter,  placed an object to the back of a Subway employee’s head,  and demanded the money in the register.  The employee opened the register,  withdrew about $300, and gave it to Haisley.

“ On January 24,  2019,  at approximately 8:55 p.m.,  Haisley entered the same Subway shop on Connecticut Avenue wearing a full face mask.  With his hand in his pocket,  Haisley confronted the same Subway employee,  told that employee that he had a gun,  and demanded money. The employee opened the register and handed Haisley money.”

Haisley “then fled from the Subway,”  the U.S. Attorney’s Office media release continued.  “A review of security camera footage from the Subway revealed that the robber wore the same clothing,  except for his face mask,  during both robberies.  A review of security footage from the nearby Van Ness Metro station showed that the robber was present in the Van Ness station on January 20 and 24, around the times of each robbery.  On January 20,  Haisley’s face was concealed by his mask,  but on January 24,  the mask was removed during at least part of his time in the Metro station,  and he used stolen money to reload a SmartTrip card.”

Kept subway cards used to rob the Subway

Haisley was arrested two days later by Metro Transit Police at the Takoma Metro Station.

Haisley “was wearing the same clothing depicted in all of the Subway and Metro videos,  and had two SmartTrip cards in his possession,”  the U.S. Attorney’s Office recounted.  “One of those cards was the card that Haisley reloaded on January 24,  2019,  after robbing the Subway. The other card was used to exit Metro at the Van Ness Station about 10 minutes before the January 20, 2019 robbery.”

Haisley was then identified by “two people who knew the defendant,”  the U.S. Attorney’s Office concluded,  “who called the Metro Police Department to identify him as the person depicted” in a video of the Subway robberies that was extensively aired by local news media.

Left Animal Rescue Corps with $61,000 missing

            Haisley had been in continuously escalating legal and personal difficulty at least since August 16,  2018,  when Animal Rescue Corps chief operations officer Tim Woodward asked him,  on behalf of the ARC board of directors,  to account for “approximately $61,000 in expenses in question from the preceding four months,”  Woodward wrote to Haisley in an October 25,  2018 termination letter.

Haisley,  instead of accounting to Animal Rescue Corps for the missing money,  circa September 27,  2018 told Nick Beres of Scripps Media Inc. that he was “stepping away from day-to-day operations” at Animal Rescue Corps “to care for himself.  The ARC leader faces possible liver failure,”  Beres wrote.”

            Three weeks later,  on October 18,  2018,  Haisley was arrested in Takoma Park,  Maryland,  for alleged domestic violence.

Allegedly beat & choked now ex-wife

According to the arrest report,  complainant Lynne Haisley,  wife of Scotlund Haisley for 16 years and mother of their three minor children,  told responding police officers that Haisley “struck her approximately five times with a closed fist.  Then he grabbed her by the neck, and began choking her.  Ms. Haisley could not recall if he used one or two hands to choke her.  Ms. Haisley estimated that her husband choked her for 30-60 seconds.

“Ms. Haisley was eventually able to kick Mr. Haisley off of her,”  she told police,  “but then he bit her on the right arm.  After this,  Mr. Haisley began to calm down and Ms. Haisley fled the residence and ran to a neighbor’s house.

“Ms. Haisley had a bruise on her forehead,  above her left eye,”  the police report continued.  “She also had a mark on her right forearm.  Both injuries were photographed.  When asked,   Ms. Haisley stated that she did not require medical care.”

Heroin,  cocaine

Domestic violence charges resulting from that incident “are still pending and are presently scheduled for hearing on October 7,  2019,”  ANIMALS 24-7 was told by a person close to the case.

The responding police officers waited while Lynne Haisley,  who has since divorced Scotlund Haisley, collected essential items from the Haisley home.

During that time,  Scotlund Haisley returned to the scene.  A search of his person and vehicle discovered “approximately 30 syringes, two vials of suspected heroin,  and a scale,”  the arrest report recounted.

Scotlund Haisley was released after the October 18,  2018 arrest on $5,000 bond.

Allegedly violated Final Protective Order

Lynne Haisley on December 20,  2018 obtained a Final Protective Order for herself and the Haisley children from the District Court of Montgomery County,  Maryland.

“Respondent has admitted to longtime and recent history of heroin and cocaine abuse. Petitioner placed in fear when respondent is under the influence,”  noted the Final Protective Order.

Scotlund Haisley was further ordered to “participate in and meet the requirements of” a domestic violence counseling program.

Judge Holly D. Reed also ordered that Lynne Haisley,  as petitioner,  “shall enroll in and successfully complete a drug addiction/counseling program.”

            ANIMALS 24-7 was told by a Haisley relative that “Scotlund violated the Final Protective Order shortly after it was issued,  on December 20,  and then on January 4,  2019,  physically assaulted Lynne in her condo.  He was arrested again on January 11,  2019,  this time in Washington D.C. by the D.C. police.”

All of that was preliminary to Subway sandwich shop robberies.

“The man was a sick SOB”

Haisley appears to have begun a 23-year career in animal rescue work with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,  moving on at frequent intervals to other employers including the American SPCA,  the New York City Center for Animal Care & Control,  and the Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo,  California.

Haisley rose to take leadership positions at the Washington Animal Rescue League,  the Humane Society of the United States,  and In Defense of Animals,  before forming Animal Rescue Corps in January 2011.

But persistent allegations of drug and alcohol abuse have followed Haisley at almost every stop,  reaching ANIMALS 24-7 first during his time in New York City.

“Learning he has a heroin addiction is no surprise to me,”  a retired law enforcement officer volunteered in response to ANIMALS 24-7 coverage of the alleged Subway robbery,  “as I was sure he was using at his time of employment at the Peninsula Humane Society,”  in 1996-1997.

“He never was interested or spent any time with any animals at the Peninsula Humane Society,” the retired law enforcement officer said.  “He was 100% about chasing skirts and abusing his power.  The man was a sick SOB.”

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