Meanwhile, her captors, Truro residents Wayne P. Martin, 41, and Amie Previe, 35, pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of animal cruelty to the coyote. The police found the animal in what they described as squalid conditions in the couple's apartment at 25 Quail Ridge Road.
Martin was also charged with 17 counts of improperly storing a firearm, to which he also pleaded not guilty. Both suspects were released on personal recognizance yesterday.
Phoenix is considered evidence in the criminal case, and the coyote has not yet been turned over permanently to the Cummaquid wildlife facility, center director Theresa Barbo said yesterday. The coyote's long-term fate cannot yet be determined and will depend on decisions made in court, Barbo said.
The coyote appeared to have been living in the apartment for some time, the police said.
Acting on several tips, police officers from Truro and Provincetown arrived at the apartment at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday with a search warrant, according to the police report on the bust.
There was strong odor of animal urine and feces from the apartment and an animal was barking inside, the police report states. As the police entered the apartment, they saw the coyote in a blue metal cage.
After determining there were unsanitary conditions in the apartment, the police left the building and called town animal control officers and Truro health agent Patricia Pajaron. The police also asked the fire department to provide self-contained breathing equipment so a police officer could enter the apartment and collect evidence. A state Environmental Police officer and a person trained in tranquilizing the coyote went to the apartment as well, the police report states.
As the officials were dealing with the coyote, a Truro police officer noticed a wood cabinet containing nearly two dozen guns that the police say were unsecured and lacked any type of locking devices. The police seized the guns, which belong to Martin.
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| Wayne P. Martin |
Yesterday, the police also filed charges of intimidation of a witness against Martin, according to Truro acting Police Chief John Lundborn. There will be a magistrate's hearing to determine whether any additional charges will be filed, according to comments made in court yesterday.
A criminal charge of animal cruelty involving wildlife is very rare in Cape Cod courts, according to Cape and Islands First Assistant District Attorney Brian Glenny. In 2009, jurors in New Bedford convicted an Acushnet man of animal cruelty for running over a female mallard duck on June 13, 2009, as the animal crossed a parking lot in the Dartmouth Mall with 12 ducklings.
Wayne Martin is the son of former Truro Selectman Robert Martin, who was found dead in Provincetown Harbor Sept. 13, 2008, in what appeared to be an accident. In June 2008, Wayne Martin's numerous public complaints about traffic citations and police retaliation against him drew the ire of the Truro Board of Selectmen. The selectmen banned Martin from making complaints against the police during the open-ended "public comments" portion of the board's regular meetings.
The animal cruelty charges against Martin and Previe have a maximum penalty of five years in state prison. A house of correction sentence or fines can be ordered as well. Martin and Previe face pretrial hearings Aug. 31.
(Cape Code Online - July 29, 2010)
