New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Bristol County District Attorney Tom Quinn announced today that a Bristol County Grand Jury has indicted Sabrina Harding and Jake Brousseau on six counts each of animal cruelty connected to the June 10th discovery of dozens of dead or mistreated animals in their South Second Street, New Bedford, apartment.
The grand jury returned its indictments Thursday afternoon, and the indictments were officially filed with the Fall River Superior Court clerk’s office today.
Ms. Harding, 23, and Mr. Brousseau, 24, will now be arraigned on the new indictment in Superior Court on a date yet to be scheduled by the court. The defendants had previously been arraigned in New Bedford District Court shortly after their arrest last month. Ms. Harding had her district court bail set at $500, while Mr. Rousseau’s bail was set at $1,000.
The case was presented to the grand jury and will be prosecuted at the Superior Court level by Assistant District Attorney Erin Aiello, who specializes in Animal Abuse criminal cases. The charge of animal cruelty in the superior court carries a maximum state prison sentence of seven years in state prison.
“The allegations contained in the indictments are very disturbing and extremely offensive to a civilized society. Animals bring great comfort and companionship to many people and deserve to be treated in a humane way,” District Attorney Quinn said. “We will vigorously prosecute these types of cases. I look forward to the opportunity to address these charges in court.”
On the evening of June 10th, New Bedford Police received an anonymous 911 call regarding a foul odor emanating from an apartment at 596 South Second Street. Upon arrival, police found 46 animals in total, half of which were deceased. The surviving 23 animals were in various states of malnourishment. Of the 23 animals discovered to be deceased inside the apartment, 10 were birds, 11 were reptiles, two were rabbits and one chinchilla. The 23 surviving animals are comprised of 11 birds, six reptiles, five cats and one dog. Thanks to the the work of New Bedford Animal Control Officer Manny Maciel, his staff, the Forever Paws Animal Shelter and other volunteers, 20 of the 23 surviving animals have already been adopted into new homes.
“We were very happy to hear the grand jury will make sure these defendants will have their cases heard at the Superior Court level,” said New Bedford Police Chief David Provencher. “These alleged crimes shocked all of us in the department and throughout the city. I am hopeful that some justice will come to the animal victims in this case.”
All defendants are innocent until proven guilty.
we have to hold them accountable .. some of those animals were pets that were given up to them in trust that they would be good to them .. some of those animals may have saved a life if allowed to live and they were innocents.. if we can not protect out innocents .. least think about this .. if THEY get away with this watch out for your children .. animal cruelty is the start of a psychopath’s way to hurting our children and serial killers …
That’s what he gets no animal deserves to be mistreated they are awesome companions for people I’m a animal lover myself…Hopefully this shit will stop it’s nonsence
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looking at the two of them you can tell them not starving . I think what they should do is lock them up do not feed them and in the end put them down with a bullet to the head, they are nothing but useless pieces of shit ! That’s what’s wrong with this country everybody has rights except for the animals that can’t talk. Why waste money on court fees lawyers and everything else when the bullets only like $.50.
I’m with you Doug! Yep those slobs ate damn good! They still will get away with what they’ve done. I doubt if a judge will give them 7 years even though they deserve so much more! We have to speak up for these poor creatures! How dare those pigs! Actually pigs is too good to call them!
This is inconceivable…7 years max? Thats is not severe enough. In June of 2015 it was declared a law that in ALL 50 of these UNITED STATES ANY AND ALL animal abuse shall be treated as a felony. Seven years is not enough for even one animal let alone 46! How can this sentence be called JUSTICE FOR THESE PRECIOUS LIVES that endured such abuse and
neglect?