UPDATE (Jan. 23 at 3 p.m.): The GoFundMe set up by Raymer has been shut down because it violates GoFundMe’s terms of service, an email from GoFundMe to Raymer said. The fundraiser for Brown violates Term 8.10 of GoFundMe’s terms, which states that “the legal defense of financial and violent crimes, including those related to money laundering…” are prohibited.
ORIGINAL STORY (Jan. 22 at 5:18 p.m.): People online are rallying around Kamerra Brown, a former SDSU equestrian coach who was indicted for a felony count of grand theft earlier this month.
A GoFundMe set up for Brown had raised over $5,000 as of Thursday at 5 p.m. It was started by Leigh Raymer, SDSU’s interim equestrian coach from 2010-2011.
Raymer emailed Athletic Director Justin Sell and President Barry Dunn, to express her concerns about the case, but got no response, she said. Raymer has been encouraging people on social media to email university leadership.
“I’m sure they won’t get a response, but I want this to be in their radar and I want them to look at it closer because I don’t think that this is something that should be a felony,” Raymer said.
“The university does not comment on pending investigations or litigation, nor can we comment on personal matters,” spokesperson for SDSU Mike Lockrem said when reached late Thursday afternoon.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said Brown was using “taxpayer resources for her personal use,” in a news release on Jan 8.
“Brown is alleged to have used SDSU resources to pay for her vet bills for her horses and to board her personal horses for about a year,” the press release said.
Raymer said it’s “standard” for equestrian coaches to bring on horses to be used in their programs.
Brown’s next court date is Feb. 23.
Raymer said she set up the GoFundMe to help Brown pay lawyer fees. The GoFundMe’s goal is $7,500.
“To have to retain a lawyer for $7,500 is an expenditure that is unfair,” Raymer said.
Raymer was a student athlete on the University of Georgia’s equestrian team from 2000-2004. As a coach, she started Delaware State’s equestrian program in 2006.
When Raymer was SDSU’s interim coach, Brown was a graduate student at SDSU. Raymer recruited Brown to Delaware, where Brown was an assistant coach from 2014 to 2016.
“This is now going to taint any relationship that South Dakota State equestrian has made with their alumni,” Raymer said. “Anyone that is an alumni, since Kamerra Brown has been there from 2010 on, knows her and knows her character. They know what an honest and dedicated horsewoman that she is.”
The description of the GoFundMe reads, “While she was head coach, Kamerra allowed the university’s equestrian team to use her personal horses for the program with the understanding that their board and veterinary care would be covered, consistent with how SDSU handles leased horses. This matter has escalated to where Kamerra has been indicted for fraud.”
Janice Sosnowski,DVM • Jan 27, 2026 at 5:53 am
As a Delaware veterinarian, I have been very involved with the DSU Equestrian team and as such, have known Kamerra Brown since she was a freshman. Kamerra lived with our family for about a year and a half while she was at Delaware State University. She is hands down, one of the most straight forward, honest and hard working people I know. She never cut corners or tried to bend or break the rules. Knowing her as I do, I find it impossible to believe these charges have any validity.
It is extremely common for coaches to lend their personal horses to the team, just as many students and others do, which saves the universities the cost of purchasing or paying for a lease (which is approximately 1/3 the value of the horse annually).
SDSU needs to check their facts before bringing charges of this nature to court. No matter how this shakes out they have destroyed the career of an honest, hard working and talented horse woman. Shame on them!