HOULTON, Maine — The District Attorney’s office has brought criminal charges against a Monticello man for animal cruelty.
According to Assistant District Attorney Kurt Kafferlin, a criminal complaint has been filed against Matthew Thibodeau of Monticello charging him with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and 10 counts of cruelty to animals. Three adult dogs and nine puppies were seized at the residence. One puppy was deceased at the residence and one puppy and one adult dog later died at a veterinary clinic.
“Under Maine law, the Office of the District Attorney must elect whether to bring animal cruelty cases as criminal charges or as civil violations,” Kafferlin explained. “Relevant to this decision are the severity of the cruelty displayed, the number of animals involved, any prior convictions or adjudications of animal cruelty entered against the defendant and such other factors as may be relevant to a determination of whether criminal or civil sanctions will best accomplish the goals of the animal welfare laws in the particular case before the attorney for the state.”
Aggravated cruelty to animals is a Class C crime, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $10,000 fine. Cruelty to animals is a Class D crime, which carries a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. The court may order a defendant to pay the costs incurred in housing, medically treating, and relocating the animals, and may also restrict a defendant from keeping animals in the future.
Thibodeau has been summonsed to appear in the Aroostook County Superior Court on Feb. 19.
In an unrelated case, two civil violation complaints were filed charging a Houlton man and woman for animal cruelty.
Anthony Pasquarelli of Houlton was charged with nine counts of cruelty to animals, while Barbara Capitan of Houlton was charged with three counts of cruelty to animals. Both individuals were summonsed to appear in the Maine District Court on Jan. 21.
Agents removed nine dogs, a rabbit and two chickens from the North Street residence of Pasquarelli and Capitan on Nov. 14 after executing a search warrant
“Civil charges of cruelty to animals carry fines of between $500 and $2,500 for each offense,” Kafferlin explained. “In civil cases of cruelty to animals the court still has the option of ordering the defendant to pay the costs incurred in housing, medically treating, and relocating the animals, and may restrict a defendant from keeping animals in the future.”
Reports of animal cruelty can be made by calling the Animal Welfare Program at 287-3846.
