Man sentenced to 30 days for beating dogs with sledge hammer

OKLAHOMA -- A Tulsa man was sentenced to 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to beating two dogs in the head with a sledge hammer because "he did not own a gun."

Robert Beach, Jr. , 40, was sentenced on Friday to two concurrent sentences of 30 days in the Tulsa County jail with credit for time served.

According to the affidavit, on Sept. 23, 2012, an animal welfare officer responded to Beach’s residence after a complaint of a dog bite.

The first dog was described as an eight-month-old female brindle Boxer named “Little Girl,” the second described as a two-year-old female tan Boxer mix named “Lil’ F------.”

According to witness reports, Little Girl’s puppies escaped Beach’s fenced backyard and entered a neighbor’s yard. Two girls began playing with the puppies. At that time, one of the puppies yelped and the two adult dogs jumped the fence and attacked one of the girls. The girl received punctures to her hand and arm and several lacerations to her chin and throat, according to court documents.

Beach heard the commotion and entered the backyard to retrieve the dogs. According to police records, he wanted to “kill the dogs as quickly and painlessly as possible.”

Using a five-pound sledge hammer, he hit the two dogs in the head, according to documents.

Beach was previously convicted of second-degree burglary in 1992 and possession with intent to distribute in 1998, according to records.

Beach was fined $300 for each charge and assessed two $75 fines for victim compensation.

According to Oklahoma law, acts of cruelty to animals is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary not exceeding five years, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding $5,000.

(KJRH - Mar 29, 2014)