Business/Organization: Smiling Buddha Kennels
 History of interpersonal violence

Gender: Male
Approximate Age: 33
Location: Newton, NH (US)

History

Jan 15, 2002 - Newton, NH (US)
Convicted: Dog-fighting - 43 dogs seized

Sentence: On 23 counts of Exhibition of Fighting Animals, Judge Abramson sentenced DeVito to 2-to-5 years in state prison on the first charge and 2-to-4 years in prison on the remaining 22 charges. Due to the severity of the offenses, the judge warranted a state prison sentence, rather than a county jail sentence.

Devito was sentenced to 2 to 5 years in prison, followed by 2 years probation, and ordered to pay $62,000 restitution. Also as a condition of his parole, he will not be allowed to own animals or attend animal fights. With his plea bargain, the other 22 charges brought 2 to 4 years in prison, with suspended jail time. Had the case gone to trial Devito could have faced a maximum of 3 1/2 to 7 years on each count. Devito ran the Smiling Buddha Kennels on his 12-acre property.


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Notes:
Plead guilty to 23 counts of animal cruelty. Sentenced to 2 to 5 years in state prison, 2 to 4 years of suspended sentences, 3 years probation, banned from owning animals or attending animal fights and pay $62,000 restitution.







Devito's wife was a school teacher who was forced to resign her job before the case went to trial.