There is shock among some Armstrong County Law Enforcement officials over a case of animal cruelty. An Armstrong County Judge threw out 27 charges of animal cruelty. The Law Enforcement Officer who arrested the man says he was so surprised by the ruling, he thought the judge was joking.
When Deputy Curtice Spencer stopped 55-year-old Mohamaed Kassabji, he thought it would be a typical stop for an impaired driver. But after searching the car, the deputy found 29 dogs covered in their own waste in small pet carriers - two of the animals were already dead. Deputy Spencer asked to search Kassabji's van, and discovered the animals. Many of the animals have distemper, parvo, and muscle deformities from being cramped in the small carriers. Officials thought video of the animals� conditions, plus similar charges in Albuquerque would be enough to convict the suspect.
The JP, Beatrice Sturkie, dropped the civil charges and now the Sheriff�s Department is hoping to move the case forward on criminal charges. Deputy Spencer said he didn't care if they lose the criminal case. "I care as long as the dogs are being kept in that condition. I don't want this guy to have any more animals if this is the way he is going to treat them." We tried to contact Sturkie by phone, but were not able to reach her.
Kassabji is still being held on criminal charges of animal cruelty. The City of Albuquerque contacted the Armstrong County Sheriff's Department, and the city is sending a few of their own prosecutors, in hopes to stop the suspect from hurting more animals. His animals are currently staying in SPCA foster homes. The Sheriff's Department and Albuquerque officials believe Kassabji is a participant of a puppy mill in Oklahoma. References« Back to Search Results Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges. For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.
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