Animal cruelty – Guilty

An Elkhart youth has pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in connection with the fireworks-related death of a dog. The Elkhart Truth reports 16-year-old Marquis Gary pleaded guilty to the animal cruelty charge and an unrelated armed robbery charge Thursday in Elkhart Circuit Court. He had been waived to adult court on the charges. Under a plea agreement, Gary will be sentenced to 14 years in jail with four years suspended on the robbery charge. That sentence will be served concurrently with the animal cruelty sentence of up to three years imprisonment. Witnesses told police several children had been throwing lit fireworks at the dog July 5th and she picked one up in her mouth and it exploded. The dog had to be euthanized because of severe facial injuries.  (AP)