A Maricopa County man has been sentenced to a year behind bars for the extreme abuse that resulted in the death of a husky puppy in June 2023.
County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said that given what she referred to as the graphic, violent nature of the crime, it’s a substantial sentence.
“Research shows that animal abuse can lead to abuse of human beings. A lot of times, as you know, I was a child crimes prosecutor and domestic violence cases as well And, you know, you see animals being abused to control the human victim," Mitchell said.
A first-time offender, 36-year-old Lester Paul Richmond pled guilty earlier this year.
“This is a permanent felony on his record. He's doing a year in jail. And did not get credit for the time he had been in. And I mean, that's, that is life impacting for sure," Mitchell said.
In the past year, the Humane Society saw a 21% rise in animal abuse cases reported to them. Mitchell said it’s crucial for people to keep an eye out.
“Call the proper authorities, the Humane Society or the police as well so that something can be done,” said Mitchell. “If they look into it and decide that the case isn't there for whatever reason, at least you've done the right thing.”
Mitchell said her office is on the lookout for legal gaps and ways to more effectively prevent animal abuse. As part of his sentence, Richmond is banned from owning animals and must take a rehabilitative animal cruelty prevention course.
