A Chandler woman at the center of an animal cruelty case was sentenced this week to three and a half years in prison and seven years probation.
April McLaughlin ran the Special Needs Animal Welfare League out of her home. The Chandler Police Department seized over 50 animals found in poor conditions there in 2023.
She was later charged with financial crimes and pleaded guilty to those, as well as animal cruelty charges, in December.
As part of her sentence, McLaughlin will pay more than $173,000 in restitution, with a significant portion going to her mother.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office issued a statement saying it asked for additional prison time for McLaughlin. She will get credit for jail time served and upon release is prohibited from possessing any animals.
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The city of Chandler is offering residents a resource to resolve neighborly disputes outside of the courtroom. The free and voluntary program was developed with the Lodestar Mediation Program at ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. -
This message is only a minute and 43 seconds long — but it means a lot to Indigenous Parent Committee co-president Monique John, who is Navajo and Jemez. She was among a few dozen citizens backing the proposal amid the Wednesday night public comment window — just moments before the roll call. -
Upon learning the facts surrounding this recent incident, Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis also revealed that he contacted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to “register our strong objection to what had happened.” -
The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, or AZ-POST, has authority to decertify police officers. Officials in two cities say officers who resigned over use of license plate readers have been referred to the agency. -
The city says the rate increase request comes as maintenance and contract costs have gone up.
