A Gloucester, Massachusetts man who had cut open his dead pit bull's stomach to get the illegal drugs the animal had eaten pleaded guilty Thursday to animal cruelty and drug charges.
Twenty-eight-year-old John Dugan was sentenced in Salem Superior Court to two and a half years in jail with 18 months to be served on the charge of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and had the same sentence on one of his three animal cruelty charges, according to Essex County District Attorney's Office. For the other two counts of animal cruelty, Dugan was sentenced to probation for three years after serving his prison sentence. Prosecutors were looking for a least three years in prison with three years of probation.
Officials say two of the animal cruelty charges came from different times when Dugan punched his pit bulls Xena and Damion in the face, while the third charge happened when Xena's leash became tangled on some exercise equipment in his apartment. Prosecutors say instead of helping the dog, Dugan let her choke and pass out.
A judge dismissed a previous animal cruelty charge of neglect for leaving Xena around illegal drugs, which she ate, and since the dog was cut open after dying, prosecutors didn't pursue charges related to it.
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