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RAPID CITY -In the wake of a scandal in 2006, in which animal parts were allegedly being harvested from animals at the Black Hills tourist attraction, an overhaul of ownership and management was undertaken.

According to Mike Casey, who now oversees the popular animal attraction on U.S. 16 south of Rapid City, those who perpetrated the harvesting were removed from oversight or ownership of Bear Country entirely. Litigation was undertaken in 2007 to remove those involved in the improper acts, Mike Casey said.

The criminal charges arose in 2006. At that time, two members of the Casey family, which owns and operates Bear Country USA, pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to illegally selling bear gall bladders to buyers in Spearfish and Alaska.

And a U.S. Fish & Wildlife official said the black bears those parts came from didn't die of natural causes.

"They were being harvested. They were slaughtering them," said Bob Prieksat, resident agent in charge for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Pierre. "They were definitely breeding bears to produce more bears, and that's something they controlled.

"It's kind of like running a puppy factory, but in this case, they're running a bear factory."