 Failure to seek veterinary care for 3 dogs
Ephratah, NY (US)Date: Dec 5, 2002
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Johnathan Steele
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A trial date could be set as early as Monday for a 24-year-old Ephratah man arrested in December 2002 for allegedly failing to provide proper sustenance to three dogs in his care.
Assistant Fulton County District Attorney Matt Trainor said Johnathan Steele, of 369 County Highway 119, will appear in City Court Monday to schedule motions and try to set a trial date. Steele turned himself into state police in late July after spending almost eight months on the run after fleeing an arraignment at Ephratah Town Court in late December.
The case is being transferred to City Court because Town Justice Harold C. Smith became a witness in the case after Steele fled his arraignment, Trainor said. The judge has already given statements to state police concerning the nature of Steele's escape.
"If a judge becomes a potential witness, it disqualifies him as a judge," Trainor said.
Steele was originally arrested on Dec. 5, 2002. He had previously been charged with three counts of failure to provide sustenance and one count of criminal possession of stolen property for propane tanks found in the basement of his home.
An additional charge of second-degree criminal contempt was added to the list of charges after Steele fled from his arraignment on Dec. 14, Fulton County District Attorney Sira said. She said Steele has already served a 30-day sentence on the contempt charge.
Earlier this year, Sira said her office directed state police to file a charge of third-degree escape against Steele. The charge has not yet been filed, the district attorney said.
State troopers found two dogs - a pitbull and a boxer - dead in their doghouses at Steele's residence in late November 2002. Police said both were frozen and appeared to be skin and bones.
An autopsy performed on the two dead dogs confirmed the animals died from starvation. A third malnourished dog - a husky-shepherd mix - was also found chained to its dog house, but the animal managed to survive.
During the months while Steele was on the run, his house had also burned down. Fire officials said the house burned down some time in January 2003.
"It's about time," Fulton County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Director Sharon Hayes said. "Sometimes the wheels of justice can move slow. It's been more than a year."
The surviving dog, named Videll, has been living at the SPCA since 2002 when it was found to be more than 40 pounds underweight, Hayes said. She said she is not legally allowed to adopt him out.
"That dog was near dead when we found him," Hayes said. "He was 31 pounds when we took him to the [veterinarian] the first time. Now, he's at his limit, 77 pounds."
Hayes said she takes the dog for routine veterinary checks and hands all her paperwork to the district attorney's office. The SPCA has spent over $500 on this case, between the autopsies performed, as well as keeping Videll fed and medicated. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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