GERRY pleads guilty to animal cruelty charges.

[Hold Your Peace]

Pawtucket posted this in another thread but I thought it deserved it's own thread.

http://www.eveningtribune.com/homepage/ ... imal-abuse

"Guilty in horse farm animal abuse
By Lynn Brennan
The Evening Tribune
Thu Oct 02, 2008, 11:24 AM EDT

Troupsburg, N.Y. -
It doesn’t look like Geraldine “Gerry” Trupia will be spending any time in jail for allegedly mistreating 85 horses and five cats in her care.

Trupia appeared in Troupsburg town court Wednesday morning to answer five charges of animal cruelty for failure to provide adequate food, water and medical treatment for the animals. The charges were limited to five because state law prohibits jail terms of more than two years for related misdemeanor convictions.

“Miss Trupia pled guilty to two counts of misdemeanor level animal cruelty pursuant to Section 353 of the Agriculture and Markets law,” said Patricio Jimenez, Steuben County assistant district attorney. “That was in satisfaction of the five charges that have been at this point filed against her.”

The Finger Lakes SPCA seized 85 horses and five cats from the Middle Creek/Norcrest farm in Troupsburg Aug. 29-30. The farm is operated by Gerry Trupia and owned by her mother, Mary Ann Blazejewski.

One horse was dead when the SPCA arrived at the farm, four more were euthanized on scene and one was euthanized in the following days. The other 79 horses are currently in foster care at various farms throughout the state. The cats are being cared for at the Finger Lakes SPCA in Bath.

Trupia will appear in court for sentencing at 9 a.m., Nov. 12. She is being represented by J. Timothy Embser of Wellsville.

If sentenced, as a condition of the plea bargain, Trupia will have two probation supervision terms of three years to run concurrently, and she cannot be employed near domestic or companion animals. She also will have to have a mental health evaluation and comply with the recommended treatment.

Trupia also will have to give Animal Cruelty Inv. Scott Mazzo access to her house during normal business hours no more than twice a month. Mazzo also will be allowed to visit the property any time with the probation officer. Trupia will be expected to pay restitution.

“If at any time during the term of probation supervision there is a violation,” Jimenez said, “and the probation department reports that to the court and to my office, that would allow the judge to, if he finds that the defendant did in fact violate the agreement, the court can resentence the defendant.”

Each charge is punishable by up to one year in jail.

As a condition of her plea, Trupia also tearfully gave up ownership rights to her animals that were seized by the SPCA. Those animals will be adopted out. Upon proof of ownership, horses owned by third parties will be returned to their owners.

“Certain things can happen between now and the sentencing that would not bind the court to the agreed upon sentencing but allow them to deviate and perhaps impose some other sentence,” Jimenez said. “Typically, a court can and will do that if a defendant doesn’t show up for sentencing or if the defendant is re-arrested between the date of the plea and the date of the actual sentencing.”

Jimenez would not comment on whether Blazejewski is facing any charges.

“At this point we consider it to be an open investigation,” Jimenez said. “Generally, our policy is with any open investigation, we don’t really comment.”

As the investigation continues, other charges are possible against Trupia and others.

Eight of the horses removed from Trupia’s farm were taken to the Alfred State College Pioneer Farm, where they are being nursed back to health under the direction of Vicki Bolton, department chair of the animal science program at ASC.

Many of the horses at the farm have gained 75-100 pounds since their arrival. The horses are going through a ton of hay a week.

Trupia declined comment Wednesday morning but said she will come forward with her side of the story once the case is settled."

[Hold Your Peace]

What if she can't come up with the money (restitution) to cover the costs of the care of these seized horses?

Does that count as a violation which could lead to jail?

With our overcrowded jails I guess this is the best we could expect.

I love her saying she would later come forward with "her" side of the story. Makes you understand the need for the mental health exam they ordered.

She plead GUILTY. End of story.

[Sock Monkey]

***edited

I read that she had to surrender ownership of her current animals, but will she be prohibited from owning in the future? Does anyone know?

[spex4me]

What side of the story?? I think the animals already tell that side.

And no it does not stop anyone from gathering more animals after they have been convicted. Maybe a judge could make it a condition but that would be the first I heard of that.

[ageecee]

Link does not work.

[foothillsequine]

Click on the link, then top second from left, click on "news". It is the first story.

[madelyn]

Her probation prohibits it. No animals. Her home will be inspected periodically.

[Pawtucket]

Thanks, foothillsequine.

There's been a lot of traffic on the direct link. If it doesn't work, here's the paper's main page: http://www.eveningtribune.com/homepage

For the moment, it's the lead story.

On a much sadder note, there's an update on Dunsinyne over on the Stallion thread.

http://www.pedigreequery.com/forum/view ... 3&start=30

[foothillsequine]

You are very welcome.

[spex4me]

Her probation prohibits it. No animals. Her home will be inspected periodically.

WOW

[Mood Swings]

Sock monkey - I hear ya! I think it is wise that she has to have a mental health evaluation and I do not mean that in a sarcastic or condescending manner. I really think that it takes a sick mind to be able to look and not "see" the sufferring that those poor animals endured. My 2 cents.

[ageecee]

85 horses and cats? damn i didnt know it was that many..

[summerhorse]

Well minus 6 dead ones.

[Jenny]

There were 6 dead? I thought it was 4 or 5.

I wish they would not have given her a plea bargain and she got some serious jail time.
I agree with a mental evaluation as well. How could you leave horses in a stall with no food or water unable to stand??? Like Dunny. Or out in pastures that had nothing in them to eat, walking skeletons

***edited

Oh. Just read the link. the already dead on at the farm. makes 6. What was she going to do with that one if the spca had not come in. Just leave it there??? Some one from the PQ posted an intersting comment. Was that She had other abuse cases from other states, did they present that to the courts also. So they know she IS A REPEAT OFFENDER!!! That should count for something. the maximum sentancing. Forget this probation!!!
Any word on the cats? What about the poor cows the SPCA left at her place? and at one time she was a German Shepard breeder as well. Good grief.

[soft hearted]

The irony?
She's a FEED dealer (or was). And special supplements.. all to help keep horses (and other animals) healthy!
Notice that although she (seems?!) to have gotten off lightly, there IS provision that further charges can/may still be laid and THOSE will then be treated .. differently

Sounds like further charges then follow the path to making THIS set as a formation of pattern.
But, what do I know?
Other than that I'm glad there is SOMETHING laid on her that ought to keep her from owning animals again.