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Citizens Weigh in on Sentence for Animal Cruelty Case

April 14th, 2015 by WCBC Radio

The sentence given to a Cumberland man last month in Allegany County Circuit Court on animal cruelty and abuse charges is not sitting well with some area citizens. Christopher Preston was charged for letting nine dogs starve to death in an empty house on McGill Drive in August. As a result, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail with 45 days suspended. Circuit Judge Gary Leasure agreed to allow Preston, 29, to serve the 45 days on home confinement, which means Preston might be able to save his job as a correctional officer. Leasure also ordered Preston to serve two years of probation after his confinement. Several callers to WCBC’s “Dave Norman Show” said they viewed the sentence as a “slap on the wrist." Allegany County States Attorney Mike Twigg said there are a number of factors that are taken into consideration by the court, including the fact that Preston has a clean record, with no prior criminal charges of any kind- and also has a solid reputation in his job as a correctional officer. Twigg detailed the actual sentence and what it entails…                                                       





 

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