Malnourished, injured dog choked - Wauwatosa, WI

Wednesday, Nov 16, 2011

A 26-year-old Wauwatosa man is facing numerous charges after he got caught stealing meat from Pick 'n Save, breaking into his grandmother's house and then shoving an animal control officer while choking a pit bull.

Ryan Jeffery Schnell was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Friday with two counts of possession of cocaine, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of burglary, one count of mistreatment of animals, and one count of disorderly conduct. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison and $81,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

On July 10, Schnell was arrested after he went to Pick 'n Save, 6950 W. State St., and purchased $31 worth of items, but had meat he was trying to steal protruding from his pants. He was detained by a store manager, who then searched Schnell in his office, where he found stolen meat and an air freshener in his pockets along with cocaine.

After officers arrived, Schnell tried to swallow the cocaine, but quickly spit it out, telling the officer the drugs tested bitter and couldn't keep them in his mouth.

He told police he is a recovering opiate addict and was just kicked out of a drug clinic after testing positive for morphine He also gave police consent to search his apartment in the 6600 block of Hillside Lane.

Upon arriving at the apartment, Schnell's girlfriend was there and told investigators Schnell had texted another man after getting arrested. That man came to the apartment and removed crack cocaine, marijuana pipes and other drugs. However, police found an assault rifle in Schnell's bedroom closet.

On Aug. 28, police were called to Schnell's grandparent's house after the reported someone broke into their home while they were out of town, ate food and stole quarters and pails of copper out of their basement. A basement window had been removed from the home, but police determined no one had entered through it.

His grandparent's said they thought Schnell might be responsible for the incident.

Police were called for another incident Nov. 16, after Schnell pushed an animal control officer who was trying to take his pit bull because it was malnourished and suffering severe injuries to its eye, snout and back of its neck. After pushing the officer, he then grabbed the dog by its neck and began to walk away while choking it.

Neighbors reported Schnell had gotten the dog in 2010 and had heard him yelling at it often and the dog yelping.

On Nov. 19, officers were informed Schnell was leaving his apartment with the dog and found him inside a car smoking crack with a 16-year-old with the dog in the back seat.

Schnell is being held in Milwaukee County Jail on $7,500 cash bail.

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