Dog sexually assaulted - Syracuse, NY

Friday, Nov 26, 2004

County: Onondaga

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Michael Leffler

A Syracuse man who was already facing charges he endangered his young daughter by letting her wander away from home this summer is now facing a charge that he engaged in sex with a family pet last week.

Michael Leffler, 27, of West Kennedy Street, was arraigned before City Judge Kevin Young on a misdemeanor charge of sexual misconduct. He was accused of engaging in a sex act with one of his mother's three dogs while he and his wife were dog-sitting the pets in their home.

According to officials, Leffler's wife called the police after catching her husband with the dog, a short-haired terrier-beagle mix named Gin-Gin, in their bedroom shortly after 1 a.m. Friday.

Young allowed Leffler to be released to the probation department's Pre-Trial Release Program and adjourned the case to Dec. 13.

Leffler also will be in court that day on misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child filed against him after police found his 3-year-old daughter shortly before 7 p.m. Aug. 20 wandering alone on the street several blocks from where the family then was living on Burnet Avenue.

In bringing the child home, police reported finding two other siblings - ages 6 and 8 - covered with bug bites in filthy living conditions, said Syracuse Police Sgt. Tom Connellan.

The endangering counts, also filed against Leffler's wife, Nicole, accuse the pair of letting the 3-year-old wander alone, and of failing to provide a clean and safe living environment for all three children, Connellan said.

Leffler was released by City Judge Kate Rosenthal to the Pre-Trial Release Program after his arraignment in that incident.

To urge the prosecuting attorney to prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and request jail time and mandatory psychological counseling if he is convicted, write to:

The Honorable William J. Fitzpatrick
Onondaga County District Attorney, City Court Bureau
511 S. State St., Rm. 112
Syracuse, NY 13202

References

• The Post-Standard - Dec 1, 2004
• PETA Alerts

« NY State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Onondaga County, NY

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