PENNSYLVANIA -- One day before his trial would have started Monday, Lamont Scott, 26, of East Stroudsburg, was sentenced Friday to 30 days to one year in Monroe County Correctional Facility after pleading guilty to one count of animal cruelty.
Scott's female pit bull, Lexi, had 29 bone fractures when brought to Creature Comfort in Saylorsburg for emergency care in June, veterinarian Karin-Susan Breitlauch testified at Scott's preliminary hearing in August.
Lexi, who was six to seven months old at the time, has been permanently disfigured as a result of her injuries, said Officer Liz Anderson with the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who investigated.
Stephanie Veley, who was renting from Scott and his wife in May and early June, testified at the preliminary hearing to witnessing Scott hurt Lexi.
Scott on one occasion punched Lexi in the kitchen and, on another occasion, picked her up by her front legs and threw her down the steps, Veley said.
Veley said that, on a third occasion, she heard Scott giving Lexi a bath and heard "loud banging and whimpering."
She said Lexi came out of the bathroom with two puncture wounds in her paw, and that Scott told her he had forced Lexi to bite her paw so she wouldn't bite him while bathing her.
Anderson was contacted June 3, went to Scott's home, saw Lexi's condition and immediately took her to Creature Comfort for emergency care. Breitlauch estimated the fractures, based on their approximate ages, had occurred during four separate time periods between April 25 and June 3.
Anderson later charged Scott with one misdemeanor count of cruelty, punishable by jail time and/or a fine, and one citation of cruelty, punishable by a fine, for each of those four time periods.
East Stroudsburg Magisterial District Judge Michael Muth after the August hearing dismissed two of the four misdemeanor counts, finding no evidence of anyone having witnessed Scott cause Lexi's bone fractures in two of the four time periods.
Having surrendered ownership of Lexi, who has since been adopted, Scott agreed this week to plead guilty to one misdemeanor count in exchange for all of the other remaining misdemeanor counts and citations being dropped.
In addition to serving jail time, Scott has been ordered to pay a $500 fine and $3,900 in restitution, and not to own any pets during his parole period. He's in custody on charges in a separate case involving burglary in Northampton County.
"I'd like to thank the Monroe County District Attorney's Office for their commitment and dedication in prosecuting this case," Anderson said. "Today is a good day for the dogs and for Lexi."
Anyone wishing to report any other animal cruelty/neglect cases can contact 866-601-SPCA.
(Pocono Record - Dec 7, 2013)
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