State v. Carlos Diaz, a case we prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Diaz kept 15 roosters and hens in a filthy, sewage-filled basement. A number of the birds had untreated injuries, were underweight, or were otherwise ill. Food for the birds was scattered amongst the sewage, and no clean water was available. Diaz…
State v. Joseph Gatz, a case we prosecuted for the Medina County SPCA. Joseph Gatz pled guilty to one count of companion animal neglect regarding his dog “Evander” who had a severe skin condition and was ultimately euthanized. Gatz was sentenced by Judge McIlvaine to 30 days in jail, suspended, and was placed on probation for…
State v. Kelli Drake, a case we prosecuted for the Medina County SPCA. Drake was found guilty of two counts of companion animal cruelty regarding 46 cats (all black) kept in her home. The cats were infested with fleas, severe flea allergies, hair loss, dermatitis, tapeworms, and FIV. All animals were surrendered to the SPCA.…
Robert Konst, a.k.a. “Hollywood Bob,” to serve 360 days in jail for animal neglect. This is a case we prosecuted for the Geauga County Humane Society. Konst was found guilty of 12 counts of companion animal cruelty relating to 72 cats in June. The animals were living in severe filth, many suffering from a variety of…
State v. Randy Atkinson, a case we prosecuted for the Medina County SPCA. Atkinson was convicted of animal cruelty for placing a cat in an oven back in 2010. The cat’s paws were singed, but it survived without severe harm. He was put on probation for 5 years, which included a prohibition against keeping animals.…
State v. Lisa Gilliam, a case we prosecuted for the Animal Cruelty Taskforce, the county humane society serving Union County, Ohio. Gilliam pled guilty to animal cruelty regarding two horses which were starved, and ultimately euthanized due to their poor condition. Four other counts were dropped to secure her plea. One of the success stories…
State v. Barbara Fogl, a case we prosecuted for the Medina County SPCA. Fogl was charged with multiple counts of neglect related to her care of 16 animals, including cats and Saluki, Afghan, and Lowchen breed dogs. The animals were kept in deplorable conditions. A strong odor of feces and urine could be detected when…
State v. William Congress, a case we prosecuted for the Cleveland APL in the Cleveland Municipal Court. On Christmas Day, 2013, Congress sent a disturbing Facebook instant message to his roommate, who was out of town visiting family over the holidays. He admitted to beating the roommate’s dog, Caesar, because the dog damaged the floor…
State v. Nancy and Christopher Farley; cases we prosecuted for the Lake Humane Society. A car was towed to a repair shop, filled with clothing and other personal items. The smell was so strong inside the vehicle that the mechanic thought it contained a dead body. He called the police who then summoned Humane Agents…
State v. Willie Powell, Jr., a case we prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Judge Ronald Adrine sentenced Powell to serve 6 months in jail for the neglect of his four dogs, the maximum penalty for a first degree misdemeanor. Powell was previously convicted of attempted dog fighting in 2002. In this case, Powell’s…