Wyoming: Joshua Baker, 25, already on probation for child abuse, kills Chihuahua

WYOMING -- A local man on probation for child abuse has decided not to challenge a charge of felony animal cruelty.

According to court documents, Joshua S. Baker told police he threw a newspaper at his girlfriend’s 6-pound Chihuahua, Phoebe, from about 5 feet away because the dog pooped in the house.

He also said he “booted” the dog out of the house because of the incident, and he said “booted” meant that he kicked the dog outside.

The little dog died from the abuse. 

Baker, 25, pleaded “no contest” to the crime last Thursday in Laramie County District Court.

A no-contest plea means “I will not contest it,” but has the same effect as a guilty plea.

Baker currently is on felony probation for striking his 3-year-old son about a year ago.

He admitted in court last year to hitting the boy after finding feces going from the stairs to the bathroom. He said he tried to put the boy in the bathtub, but the boy threw a tantrum, which caused Baker to lose his temper.

Baker’s actions left a handprint on the boy’s backside and a mark on his face and caused redness in his eye.

Baker was sentenced in September to five years of probation with an underlying prison term of three to five years for one count of physical child abuse and two counts of mental child abuse (one for the boy and one for the boy’s younger sister).

Despite being arrested for property destruction and violating a protection order while out on bond in that case, Baker was given a chance at probation.

Court documents indicate he has a chance of staying on probation after the animal cruelty incident as well.

A plea agreement reached in the case suggests a sentence of two years of probation with an underlying prison term of one to two years.

Animal cruelty is punishable in Wyoming by up to two years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine.

The deal suggests Baker’s probation in the child abuse case be revoked and reinstated from the date of his initial sentencing hearing in September, with no added requirements. And it proposes that both sentences run one after the other.

That means if Laramie County District Judge Catherine Rogers were to accept the deal, Baker would be on probation for seven years with an underlying prison term of four to seven years.

She is not bound to the plea agreement and can do what she feels right at the time of sentencing.

(Wyoming News - March 2, 2016)

Earlier:

• Wyoming: Cheyenne man, Joshua Baker, on probation for child abuse, kills girlfriend’s dog