CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #5120 Rating: 2.6 out of 5
Dog stolen, ransomed, killed
Chicago, IL (US)Incident Date: Monday, Jul 4, 2005
County: Will
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Marc C. Czernik
Case Updates: 4 update(s) available
A man has been arrested after allegedly kidnapping a puppy in Peotone and subjecting it to cruelty. The dog, named Lucky, was allegedly kidnapped by 40-year-old Marc Czernik, who has been charged with two felonies in connection with the case. According to the Daily Southtown, Czernik has been charged with aggravated cruel treatment and attempted theft. If convicted, he could spend up to four years in prison. He is scheduled to appear in Will County Court in August.
"It's upsetting to law enforcement and the entire community," said Peotone Police Chief Paul Farber. "I know we are all disturbed by it."
Lucky is now buried at Evergreen Pet Cemetery in Monee. Lucky was 6 months old when he died.
"My mother had just passed away in February and my husband bought him just to cheer me up," said Karen Rogers.
While on vacation, the Rogers family received a frightening call from a stranger, telling them that he had their dog and was holding it for $10,000 ransom.
"So I suggest you call me back promptly or my Chesapeake will eat it," said the person.
Caller ID led the family to a home in rural Peotone. Karen Rogers said her daughter could not believe what she saw.
"She couldn't even talk," Rogers said. "She went to the yard and when she looked over the fence, Lucky was lying on a wooden deck. And there were two big dogs standing over him."
Lucky died at an animal hospital that same day, Elgas reported. Now the Rogers often visit their puppy's resting place and hope a judge holds Czernik responsible.
Case UpdatesA Will County judge rejected a plea agreement for probation and instead sent a former Peotone man to prison Thursday in the death of a puppy, which he threatened to feed to his dogs if he was not paid $10,000.
Circuit Judge Robert Livas sentenced Marc Czernik, 41, to 15 months after delivering a speech from the bench on the faithfulness of dogs.
"Only one animal has chosen to be our ally and our friend," Livas said. "When that dog decides to bond to us, that's eternal. It's never going to change. ... Human beings have failed dogs constantly. I've never heard of a dog failing a human being."
Livas held up a handful of letters mailed to him from at least six states and Iraq. All demanded the maximum sentence of 3 years for Czernik, he said.
"If every judge sentenced every defendant to the maximum allowable sentence, the system would fall apart," Livas said. He noted that he's never received letters on the many cases he's handled involving children being "abused, tortured or raped."
Defense attorney Joseph Pavur said he and his client were "stunned by the amount of time that was given, considering we had an agreement." He said he would advise Czernik to ask Livas to reconsider the sentence.
Czernik pleaded guilty last month to aggravated animal cruelty and attempted theft. In return, defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed that he should be sentenced to 30 months of probation.
"I'm happy with the 15 months [in prison]," said Karen Rogers, whose husband Mark gave her a cocker spaniel puppy, Lucky, "to cheer her up" after her mother died.
Several of Rogers' relatives and friends attended the hearing. Some wore T-shirts with a photograph of the puppy and the phrase: "Justice for Lucky."
Six-month-old Lucky went missing July 4. Czernik later called Rogers' home and left answering machine messages. He demanded $10,000 to return the puppy and not feed him to his two dogs, one of which was a pit bull.
"To make those calls to those people is beyond my ability to reason," Livas said.
The owner's daughter, based on caller ID, went to Czernik's home, where she found a wet Lucky with several bites in a back-yard pen with the other dogs. Lucky was taken to a vet, but he could not be saved.
After the case made news, the windows at Czernik's former Peotone home were shot out and his car was damaged, defense attorney George Gatses said. Czernik then moved to Indiana, with the court's permission.
Czernik told Livas he gave his dogs to an Indiana farmer. He is barred from owning animals for 30 months. He also must pay $949 in restitution. | Source: The Tribune - April 21, 2006
Update posted on Apr 21, 2006 - 12:06PM |
A Will County judge March 21, 2006 balked at a sentence of probation for a former Peotone man who admitted threatening to feed a neighbor's puppy to his dogs unless the owners paid him $10,000.
Marc Czernik, 41, pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty and attempted theft in a case involving Lucky the dog, found with injuries that proved fatal last summer in Czernik's back yard after the threat was made. Under a plea deal, prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to a sentence of 30 months' probation. Czernik also would have had to pay $949 restitution, undergo a psychological exam and not own animals during probation. After Czernik pleaded guilty, Circuit Judge Robert Livas said he wanted to think about the sentence and left the bench for about 20 minutes. "I'm going to take this under advisement until I see the results of the psychological evaluation," Livas told Czernik after the break.
First Assistant State's Atty. Greg DeBord said Livas can accept the sentence of probation, modify it or hand down his own sentence. Czernik faces a maximum penalty of 3 years in prison. DeBord said he believed probation was the appropriate sentence because Czernik had no prior criminal convictions.
Lucky, a 6-month-old cocker spaniel owned by one of Czernik's neighbors, went missing July 4, 2005, DeBord told Livas. Czernik later called the puppy's owners, leaving an answering-machine message demanding $10,000 to return the puppy and not feed him to his two dogs, one of which was a pit bull. A relative of Lucky's owner went to Czernik's home, located through caller ID information, and found Lucky with several bites in a back-yard pen with the other dogs. Lucky was taken to a veterinarian, but could not be saved. | Source: Chicago Tribune - March 21, 2006
Update posted on Mar 23, 2006 - 4:33PM |
An arrest warrant has been issued for a former Peotone man accused of killing a puppy.
Marc Czernik did not show up in will county court Wednesday to face animal cruelty charges. He is accused of letting his retriever and pit bull kill a 6-month-old cocker spaniel.
Prosecutors say Czernik asked the owner for a ransom before the dog was killed.
His lawyer says Czernik missed the court date because he was confused on when he was supposed to appear. | Source: ABC Local Chicago - Oct 20, 2005
Update posted on Oct 24, 2005 - 9:14PM |
| Marc A. Czernik has been indicted on three felony charges in connection with the dog's disappearance and death. A Will County grand jury handed up the indictment Tuesday, adding a third charge of criminal damage to property to original charges of aggravated cruelty and attempted theft. All are Class 4 felonies punishable by up to four years each in prison. | Source: Herald-News - July 29, 2005
Update posted on Jul 29, 2005 - 11:58AM |
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