A man in St. Louis is now facing felony animal abuse charges after police connected him to a crime involving a dog that was shot 12 times, strangled with an electrical cord and thrown into a dumpster.
The man, Ron Jackson, was arrested earlier this week by the mayor’s new Animal Cruelty Task Force (which we previously wrote about here). The crime was uncovered back in September when an employee of the city found the dog and called a rescue center given the obvious abuse it had suffered.
The dog’s back legs are now paralyzed thanks to a bullet lodged near his spine, yet despite the injuries he has made a remarkable recovery The dog was given a donated cart to use so he can still walk and is currently living with the shelter’s founder.
The Animal Cruelty Task Force has trumpeted the news of the arrest saying that bringing to justice the abuser of the poor dog proves that the task force is making the city safer. The recent arrest is far from the only one initiated by the task force. Numbers released indicate that the task force has averaged one arrest per week since it was created in late September.
The task force was created in large part due to an animal abuse case earlier this year that received significant media attention. The case involved Darick Dashon Stallworth mutilating, starving, and ultimately killing five dogs. After pleading guilty to three felony counts of animal abuse and two misdemeanor counts of animal neglect, Judge Margaret Neill sentenced Stallworth to four years for three felony animal abuse counts to be served concurrently and 15 days for two misdemeanor animal neglect counts to be served concurrently, really throwing the book at Stallworth for his animal abuse.
While officials say that animal abuse can be a strong indicator of other criminal behavior, it is of some concern the way that law enforcement officials broadly paint those accused of animal cruelty with a broad, criminal brush. If you or someone you care about is being investigated or has been charged with animal cruelty you will need an experienced Missouri criminal defense lawyer to protect your legal rights. Animal cruelty charges can carry serious penalties including jail time, heavy fines and a permanent criminal record.
If you’ve had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don’t hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.
Source: “Man Arrested for Shooting Dog Twelve Times,” published at StLouis.CBSLocal.com.
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