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Sussex County dogfighting bust aftermath: six individuals arrested, three innocent dogs dead

- Delaware, USA -


On Sunday, January 8, 2023, a noise complaint to the Delaware State Police (DSP) led officials to an illegal dogfighting operation.


Law enforcement officials responded to a report of suspicious activity at a home in the 2600 block of Lonesome Road, Seaford in Sussex County and upon arrival they found multiple individuals actively engaged in a dogfighting event.


Police were later joined by the Delaware Division of Public Health’s Office of Animal Welfare division (OAW) and following a search and seizure warrant, OAW removed fourteen dogs found at the residence.

According to OAW, one of the fourteen dogs removed from the property, sadly died from the injuries sustained from the dogfighting activities.

The other thirteen dogs were placed in the care of the nonprofit Brandywine Valley SPCA, and the organization explained in a Facebook post that five of them are in “serious condition.”


The Brandywine Valley SPCA also said: “We're giving the 13 dogs rescued from alleged dog fighting activity in Seaford, Delaware likely the first love and compassion they have ever experienced. They are also showing us their resilience after all they have endured.”


Police arrested:

35-years-old BYRON L. BRIDDELL, of Berlin, Maryland (pictured)

36-years-old GLENN WHITE, of Salisbury, Maryland (pictured)

44-years-old SAMUEL W. FOREMAN, of Whaleyville, Maryland (pictured)

44-years-old TIMOTHY WHALEY, of Salisbury, Maryland (pictured)

46-years-old KEVIN C. LAND, of Seaford, Delaware (pictured)


They were all charged with animal fighting, being present during an animal fight, cruelty to animals, and resisting arrest. They have since posted bail!


As the investigation into this case continued, a sixth individual has been arrested and four dogs have been removed from his home.

The Division of Public Health said in a news release that the sixth arrestee, 45-years-old RONNELL D. JACOBS (pictured), of Laurel, was identified as the person who fled the scene where the other five individuals were arrested.


JACOBS is charged with three felony counts related to dogfighting, and two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.


As indicated in the press release: “Ronnell Jacobs is currently being held without bail for a Violation of Probation related to his January 12 arrest on dog fighting and animal cruelty charges, but not as a result of the charges themselves, for which he was released on his own recognizance. He remains incarcerated at Sussex Correctional Institution. He is ordered to have no contact, possession, or ownership of any animals pending the outcome of the case.”


JACOBS was arraigned on January 12, 2023, on the following charges:


Two counts owning, possessing, keeping or using an animal for the purpose of fighting.

One count being present at an animal fight.

Two counts of cruelty or neglect to animals.


JACOBS “was found to be under the supervision of the Department of Corrections’ Probation and Parole Office and wearing an ankle monitor,” stated the release. A review of JACOBS’ location on the date and time of the dogfighting bust, placed him at the Lonesome Road property.


On January 12, OAW obtained a search and seizure warrant for JACOBS’ residence, where officials found and removed four dogs were seized. Two of the VOICELESS VICTIMS were found chained in the woods behind the home and had injuries consistent with dog fighting.

These dogs were also placed in the care of the Brandywine Valley SPCA.


OAW said that upon seizure, two of the four dogs required emergency veterinary care and one of the two who required emergency veterinary care was determined to be unable to recover from his/her wounds and was sadly euthanized.


To date, as a result of the investigation, eighteen INNOCENT dogs were rescued, three of them have died, and two others have been adopted. The remaining dogs continue to recover.


The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this case should contact OAW at (302) - 255 - 4646. Thank you!


Please, visit the Brandywine Valley SPCA Facebook page to see how you can help them face this hardship. Thank 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.



Pictures shared from Brandywine Valley SPCA



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CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL TRUITT ridiculously sentenced in a case where he murdered a kitten

- Maryland, USA -


On September 1, 2022, 26-years-old CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL TRUITT (pictured), was ridiculously sentenced in connection with the murder of an innocent and defenseless kitten in 2021.


I will leave the specifics of the sentence for the end, and I am going to start with what TRUITT did.


On December 16, 2021, the Wicomico County Humane Society received a report about an abandoned box on Dixon Road, Salisbury, with a deceased kitten inside.

Director Kim Nock responded to the scene and inside the box, she found a black 6-month-old kitten named Ember.


According to a press release by the Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County, Ember had been recently adopted by TRUITT from the Worcester County Humane Society.

Ember was microchipped and this made possible the identification of TRUITT.


A necropsy performed by the Wicomico Humane Society “revealed Ember's cause of death to be both blunt force trauma and strangulation”, stated the release. The Wicomico County Sheriff's Office conducted and extensive investigation and identified TRUITT “as the person who caused the injuries and ultimately killed Ember.”


TRUITT was convicted of one count of felony animal cruelty and two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. For Ember’s murder, the (dis)honorable judge David B. Martz found TRUITT guilty following trial and sentenced him to 180 days in jail with all but 60 days suspended TO BE SERVED ON HOUSE ARREST!

TRUITT was placed on three years of supervised probation and given a $300 fine.

The Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County said that “As a special condition of his sentence, Truitt will be prohibited from owning, possessing, or residing with animals for a period of five years.”


First of all, I firmly believe that prohibiting an animal abuser from owning, possessing, or residing with animals should be included in every sentence and NOT be a special condition!


Secondly, a lifetime ban should be also applied with every sentence!


Thirdly, here is another judge who had a great opportunity to send a clear message that animal cruelty is not tolerated but instead he failed the VOICELESS VICTIM and undermined the efforts of all those who worked to bring this case to court!


I have emailed the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office and requested a picture of Ember.

Should I receive it, I will add it to the article.


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.






 
 
 

Investigation underway after a llama found with shattered leg bones had to be euthanized

- Maryland, USA -


The Baltimore County Police Department's Cockeysville Precinct is investigating after a 22-year-old llama named Skippy was found beaten so badly that had to be euthanized.


On the morning of Sunday, September 11, 2022, Mrs. Holly Callahan-Kasmala went to check on her trio of llamas and two alpacas on her farm that she co-owns with her husband Pete, on Beckleysville Road in Millers.


Mrs. Callahan-Kasmala told CBS Baltimore that she found Skippy lying in an unusual spot and she immediately knew that something was wrong.

She explained: “Even from that distance, I could see the pulse in his neck. I could see how high his respiration was.”


The veterinarian who was called to the scene determined that Skippy had three broken legs, two of which had compound fractures. No bite or claw marks were found on Skippy’s body.

The vet humanely euthanized Skippy.

Mrs. Callahan-Kasmala believes a person or multiple people made their way onto the farm and broke Skippy’s legs intentionally. She did not find any signs of a predator entering the farm and said: “If a pack of coyotes or a bear had gone after him, there would be bites.”


According to The Baltimore Sun, Mrs. Callahan-Kasmala said “it appeared that human hands had unscrewed the screw eyes that secure stall guards inside the couple’s horse barn. She says she believes that either someone broke Skippy’s legs either as a deliberate act of cruelty, or a group of intoxicated young people decided to beat up the llama.”


An extremely emotional Mrs. Callahan-Kasmala said: “He dragged himself to the barn with broken legs, essentially. The thing that haunts me is that this happened during the night and I didn't find him until the next morning, and he suffered with this all night. I don't understand how anyone could do that to an animal and then leave them there in agony. No one deserves that.”

She added that Skippy was a rescue and she had had him for 18 years.

“He took care of the alpacas. He was like their uncle. They're very upset, they're traumatized and they do look for him, they call for him… It's extremely, it's heartbreaking,” she also said.


If you have any information about this barbaric crime, please contact the Baltimore County Police Department's Cockeysville Precinct at (410) - 877 - 1820. Thank 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.




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