The Parke County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 28-years-old GREGGORY ALLEN FRANSTED (pictured) after he was identified as the guardian of two dogs who were found roaming along Sandridge Road, north of Lyford.
The sheriff’s office said that on January 24, 2023, deputies were alerted to the situation and responded to the area. Sergeant Brad McNeill and Deputy Kyle Stonebraker took the VOICELESS VICTIMS to the Parke-Vermillion County Humane Society “so they will be warm during the approaching inclement weather. They will also receive much needed medical care,” said the sheriff’s office in an initial statement.
Court records show that a warrant was issued for FRANSTED’s arrest on Friday, January 27, 2023. FRANSTED is charged with two counts of cruelty to an animal, a class A misdemeanor.
According to the sheriff’s office, FRANSTED is being held on a $5,000 bond.
Court records further show that FRANSTED’s pretrial conference is set to take place on March 30, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., followed by a hearing on April 18, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
I have emailed the Parke County Sheriff’s Office and the Parke-Vermillion County Humane Society to inquire about the furbabies. If I get a response, I will post an update.
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
In regard to my email to Chicago police requesting the dog’s gender, breed, age, and name, Chicago police responded in an email: “Unfortunately, we do not know the dog's gender, age, breed, or name. Only that the dog was euthanized and the offender has been charged with animal cruelty. If further information becomes available and we are able to share it we will definitely be in touch with you.”
~ Update, October 11, 2022
I heard back from the Chicago Police Department.
It breaks my heart to tell you that the furbaby was euthanized.
“When the dog was brought into the emergency vet it was suffering from lung cancer and was euthanized. The dog was not euthanized due to injury from the incident but due to the lung cancer. The offender was charged with 2 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.”
~ Update: October 11, 2022
Yesterday, before publishing this article I have emailed the Chicago Police Department’s PIO and First Deputy Superintendent of Police Eric Carter to inquire about the VOICELESS VICTIM’s well-being.
Right now, I have also emailed Chicago Police Department Superintendent David O’Neil Brown and asked whether the dog was removed from CARTAGENA.
If I receive a response, I will post an update.
~ Original story:
Thanks to the intervention of multiple citizens, a dog is now safe and his/her abuser is behind bars.
On October 8, 2022, Ms. Paula Conrad, a Lincoln Park resident, wrote on her Facebook account: “A block away from where I live, a man beat his dog in broad daylight. Chicago, please keep your eyes peeled for this van — call 311 and ask for Area 3 detectives if you spot it. Let’s get this pup into a nice home and this scumbag behind bars!”
The incident took place on the afternoon of Thursday, September 22, 2022, in the 1900 block of North Maud Avenue.
Surveillance video from a nearby building shows a man exiting a van, opening the trunk, grabbing a dog by the neck and dragging him/her out of the vehicle.
Once the furbaby is out of the van, the male can be seen hurling and throwing the dog to the street. The dog then can be seen crossing the street and going on to the sidewalk on the other side. Meanwhile, the male is captured throwing a punch at the vehicle and getting things out of the trunk that he carelessly left on the sidewalk. After a few minutes, the male goes to the other sidewalk where the dog went but they both are off camera.
Footage then shows the male and the dog returning to the vehicle.
While the male goes back and forth, the furbaby follows him and his/her tail never stops waggling. All of a sudden, the male starts punching the dog, pulls the dog by the collar and temporarily stops when a woman exits a building with a dog.
In the video it appears that the male then looks up and talks to someone.
Ms. Conrad released the distressing video and over this past weekend, a motorist spotted the suspected van in traffic and posted a photo of its plate onto social media.
According to CWBChicago, on the morning of Sunday, October 9, 2022, a woman who was at a veterinary appointment at MedVet, 3305 North California, saw the male suspect from the video in the lobby and Chicago police responded to the scene.
Officers arrested 28-years-old JOSE ORLANDO CARTAGENA, of Hammond, Indiana, and charged him with one count of misdemeanor cruelty to animals.
Reportedly, the dog was at the vet’s office with significant injuries.
As CWBChicago reported, CARTAGENA’s booking photograph is not yet available because the Chicago Police Department embargoes misdemeanor mugshots for four days before releasing them to the public.
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
Another animal abuser gets away with animal cruelty.
As many of you remember, SHAYNA FAYE BURKO (pictured) was arrested in July 2022, after officers with the Vanderburgh County Sherriff’s Office and Vanderburgh County Animal Control found dead dogs and live dogs, in horrific condition, at a home in Evansville.
She was released after posting a meager $500 bond!
This past May this evil female pleaded guilty to seven felony-level counts of cruelty to an animal.
On June 29, 2023, BURKO was generously sentenced to PROBATION, courtesy of Vanderburgh Circuit Court RYAN CHARLES REED!
Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers said in a news release that atsentencing the Prosecution alerted the court that BURKO “is in violation of the conditions of her bail, which included a prohibition from animal possession, by giving evidence that she is currently living with animals.”
The release goes on to say that BURKO’s grandmother testified at sentencing that BURKO has a puppy who is a “service dog.”
Whether you believe it or not, a part of the court’s sentencing order is that BURKO “is permitted to live with animals as long as they do not belong to her and that she is permitted keep her purported service dog.”
Prosecutor Moers stated: “The Defendant’s horrific actions are absolutely shocking to the conscience. What is more, this is not her first time and the evidence today from both the prosecution and the defense was that she still has access to animals despite the court previously ordering her not to. I am happy to report that we requested the maximum executed sentence today of four years, noting prior criminal history of the same nature, violation of conditions of bail and the egregiousness of the crime itself. The court found none of those statutorily aggravating circumstances applied and sentenced the Defendant to two years of probation.”
The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office announced that on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 17, 2023, in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court SHAYNA FAYE BURKO (pictured), pleaded guilty to “seven felony-level counts of cruelty to an animal before Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Reed.”
In July 2022, BURKO was arrested after deceased and extremely malnourished dogs were found inside her property. She was released after posting a ridiculous $500 bond!
Prosecutor Diana Moers stated: “Those who abuse or neglect some of the most innocent in our society—animals—will be investigated and face harsh legal consequences. Here, these innocent and completely helpless dogs were counting on the Defendant to take care of them but she left them to suffer and die while she carried on with her own life. I am thankful for the citizen heroes who called the police in this case as well as animal control and the deputies who were able to remove the remaining living dogs from this house of horrors and bring them to safety. It is my prayer that these dogs find loving homes and healing.”
Well, BURKO has a date with Judge Ryan C. Reed in Vanderburgh Circuit Court on June 29, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. for sentencing. Let’s see how “harsh” her legal consequences will be!
Let me remind you that BURKO has a prior conviction in Warrick County for Cruelty to an Animal.
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 27-years-old SHAYNA FAYE BURKO (pictured).
In a press release the sheriff’s office said that on the morning of Saturday, July 9, 2022, deputies along with Vanderburgh County Animal Control were dispatched to a home on 3122 Mooring Road to conduct a welfare check on the animals who were living at the property.
The sheriff’s office said the animals “had been left unattended for a prolonged period of time.”
From outside, deputies could smell a foul odor of something rotting inside the home and when they peered through a window, “they could visibly see excess amounts of feces, urine, and trash on the floor of the home” stated the release.
Officials also saw several dogs who were inside who appeared “malnourished, in distress, and lethargic.”
A search warrant was obtained and executed at the residence and Animal Control removed five dogs who were found to be living covered with fleas and feces.
Officers found "a deceased German Shepard inside a closed kennel and a detached head of a dog both found in the living room. In the hallway, officers found a detached dog limb. There were five living dogs inside the residence, and one of them was missing a paw different from the limb found in the hallway."
From witnesses on the scene, officials learned that BURKO “had not been to the house for several weeks.”
Deputies were able to locate BURKO with the assistance of the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office and took her into custody.
When BURKO was interviewed, she admitted that she was aware the dogs were there and that she failed to care for them.
According to the sheriff’s office “there is also a second person of interest under investigation.”
BURKO was released from the Vanderburgh County Jail after posting a meager $500 bond, but that’s not all that infuriates me!
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office said in the press release that the female “has a prior conviction in Warrick County for Cruelty to an Animal.”
As I always say, animal abusers are toxic and toxic people do not change, they only change their victims.
The law will continue to allow scum like BURKO to take innocent lives because they do not experience the identical suffering inflicted on the VOICELESS VICTIMS.
Lawmakers, you do realize that the death of these dogs is on you!?
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
