Still was indicted by a grand jury for cruelty to companion animals, a second-degree misdemeanor and cruelty to companion animal, a fifth-degree felony.
Last week, Still pleaded guilty to the fifth-degree felony. The misdemeanor charge was dismissed.
Judge Jennifer McElfresh set a sentencing date of Oct. 3. Still faces up to 12 months behind bars and a $2,500 fine.
A Middletown woman, who was also charged with felony animal abuse for an incident in January, pleaded guilty and has been sentenced by a common pleas judge.
Mary J. Grace, 41, of the 2600 block of Cincinnati-Dayton Road, was arrested after the Jan. 17 incident, and the case was bound over to a grand jury.
In March, Grace was indicted for three counts of cruelty to companion animals, a fifth-degree felony, and three counts of confinement of dogs, a third-degree misdemeanor.
According to court documents, the animal control officer was dispatched to the Grace residence to check on three dogs in back of the house. She found two pitbull type dogs and a Labrador retriever mix in plastic crates with frozen blankets in them. All three dogs were tied on 6- to 10-foot tethers.
Grace surrendered the dogs to the officer to be taken to a shelter. One was dead and the other two were very thin with ribs showing, according to the report.
Last week Judge Greg Howard sentenced Grace to three years probation after she pleaded guilty to one count of cruelty to companion animals and one misdemeanor charge of confinement of dogs. The remaining charges were dismissed in exchange for the guilty plea.
As terms of her probation, the judge ordered Grace to do 30 hours of community service, pay a supervision fee of $25 per month, maintain a full time job, continue with mental health treatment and not live with companion animals for five years “except the three dogs and one cat she already has in her home.”
About the Author
