Attorneys/Judges
| Judge(s): | Carol A. Pankake, Jacqueline L. Russell |
Starving and dead cats found at sanctuary
Pine Grove, PA (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Jan 24, 2009
County: Schuylkill
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Virginia E. Justiniano
» Andrew J. Oxenrider
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Pine Grove police on Thursday filed 118 counts each of cruelty to animal charges against a man and woman in connection with an investigation into a Jan. 24 incident in Pine Grove Township.
The woman, police said, was running a cat sanctuary she called Cats with No Name.
Patrolman Jeffrey R. Futchko filed the charges against Virginia E. Justiniano, 49, and Andrew J. Oxenrider, 37, who both resided at 33 Walmer Lane.
The neglected cats were discovered after a Jan. 24 traffic incident, in which Oxenrider was arrested and charged with drug possession and attempting to bribe a police officer. The incident led authorities to the sanctuary, where police said they found more drugs, as well as neglected and dead cats.
In addition, new charges of permitting violation of title, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance were filed against Justiniano. The new offenses are in addition to original charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In addition to the cruelty charges against Oxenrider, Futchko on Thursday filed charges of 19 counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy.
Thursday's filings are added to Oxenrider's original charges of driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, bribery and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Magisterial District Judge Carol A. Pankake set bail at $25,000 for each in addition to the original $25,000 set for Justiniano and $15,000 for Oxenrider when they were arrested in January. Both were returned to Schuylkill County Prison where they are being held, still unable to post bail from the first set of offenses.
Volunteers with the Ruth Steinert Memorial SPCA waited outside Pankake's Tremont court while police escorted Justiniano and Oxenrider inside for what was scheduled to be their preliminary hearing on the original drug charges.
That hearing was continued until a later date so the two can appear on all the charges at one time, assistant district attorney Douglas Taglieri said.
SPCA volunteer Beth Hall said the condition the 148 cats and 10 other animals were found in was unspeakable.
"Our opinion is that it was heinous. In my opinion, it was like a kitty concentration camp," she said. "We just don't understand."
Mary Ellen Smith, president of the Steinert SPCA board, said the animals were subjected to "obvious cruelty and neglect."
"We just hope there's justice for these deceased animals and for the ones that survived," she said.
Hall said that in addition to the 148 cats, there was also a deer, four ferrets, two chickens, a rooster and two geese.
She said that of the 148 cats found, more than half died.
"This was like a kitty Auschwitz," Hall said.
She recalled seeing pallets and pallets of cat food that Oxenrider or Justiniano failed to give to the animals.
"The resources were there," she said.
Police said that Justiniano ran a legitimate animal care operation until she became deeply involved in drugs.
During a search in January, Futchko said, officers found cocaine, ketamine, marijuana, doxycycline and oxytetracycline along with several thousand hypodermic needles and materials used for packaging drugs.
Case UpdatesAndrew J. Oxenrider, who faces more than 100 charges of animal cruelty in connection with a cat sanctuary near Pine Grove, told a Schuylkill County judge at a Friday bail hearing that he wants to live with his fiancee pending trial.
Oxenrider, 39, of Saint Clair, told Judge Jacqueline L. Russell that he wants to move in with Virginia E. Justiniano, 49, of Enola, who also is his co-defendant, before they are tried in connection with the Cats with No Name sanctuary.
While she did not make an immediate decision, Russell indicated she is concerned about Oxenrider living with a co-defendant who also is facing drug charges.
"I suggest that Mr. Oxenrider find another place to live," she said.
An inability to find a place to live is keeping Oxenrider behind bars pending his trial on 118 counts of cruelty to animals and 19 counts of possession of a controlled substance, plus additional charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, bribery, driving under suspension-DUI related and conspiracy. He has posted the $1,000 needed to be free on bail, but he must arrange for a place to live before he can leave prison.
At his first bail hearing on April 3, Oxenrider said he would live with Justiniano at his Saint Clair residence if released before trial. However, he said Friday he can no longer live at his old residence, which worried Russell.
"I'm a little concerned about his representations," she said.
Oxenrider has been in prison since he was arrested Jan. 24. Justiniano, who also faces charges, already is free on bail.
Pine Grove police allege he and Justiniano mistreated the 158 animals at their sanctuary in Pine Grove Township. Police also allege they found numerous controlled substances and drug paraphernalia at the sanctuary.
Oxenrider denied Friday that the animals were mistreated or that there was anything illegal about the drugs or the paraphernalia.
"There was no cruelty," he said. "(The drugs) belonged to the (sanctuary). They were mostly veterinary." | Source: Republican Herald - May 30, 2009
Update posted on May 31, 2009 - 10:53PM |
An eastern Pennsylvania woman and her boyfriend who ran a purported cat sanctuary have been ordered to stand trial on animal cruelty and drug charges.
Virginia Justiniano and her boyfriend, Andy Oxenrider, operated the Cats With No Name Sanctuary, a cat rescue facility in Pine Grove Township, near Pottsville.
The two are accused of stockpiling donated cat food and reselling some of it at auctions to finance drug binges while leaving dozens of animals to go hungry.
Police arrested the couple in January and said they found cat carcasses piled in boxes or frozen, and other animals starving. At least 85 cats have died.
Justiniano and Oxenrider waived a preliminary hearing Thursday. Police say more charges are pending. | Source: InYork.Com - March 20, 2009
Update posted on Mar 23, 2009 - 2:02AM |
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