BENTONVILLE — Two Garfield men who admitted shooting and killing several cows and a dog will spend time helping animals as part of their sentencing.
Gary Jeftrey Miller, 19, and Jeremy Lynn Roberts, 18, pleaded guilty Jan. 18 to charges in connection with shooting the animals and vandalizing mailboxes. The pleas came through agreements that attorney Chris Griffn and Public Defender Scott McElveen reached with Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Smith.
Miller and Roberts pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to a dog, cat or horse, a Class D felony; and criminal mischief in the first degree, a Class C felony.
They were arrested July 20.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office received several reports that day of damaged mailboxes, killed or injured animals and a damaged vehicle, according to court documents.
A deputy sheriff later found eight damaged mailboxes on Roland Davis and Patton roads. A caller reported one of his pregnant cows was shot and killed. Another caller reported some of his cows were shot and another pregnant cow killed, according to court documents.
Miller and Roberts were charged with five counts of criminal mischief in connection with the death of five cows. Prosecutors later filed an amended criminal information charging the two with a single count of criminal mischief covering the deaths of all the cows. Smith previously said killing cows is not covered in the state’s felony animal cruelty statute.
The felony charge covers thedeath of the dog.
Miller admitted to shooting at least two cows when questioned by Sheriff ’s Office Investigator Audrey Thompson.
Miller also told Thompson he shot the dog and Roberts ran over the animal with the truck.
Smith said the victims favored the plea agreement and did not want Miller or Roberts to go to prison.
Circuit Judge Robin Green described the plea agreements as lenient, but accepted them along with the pair’s guilty pleas.
Miller and Roberts were placed on state-supervised probation for five years under Act 346, which means their criminal records may be expunged if they successfully complete probation.
Green warned the men they face prison sentences if they do not abide by the rules of probation.
They also were sentenced to 120 days in the Benton County Jail and must do 200 hours of community service each at the Rogers Humane Society. Miller must pay $1,420 in court costs and Roberts must pay $1,870 in court costs. Roberts’ fees are higher because he was assessed with a public defender fee. The two also must pay$4,835 in victim restitution.
Miller and Roberts were taken into custody and transported to the Benton County Jail to begin serving their sentences.
News, Pages 8 on 01/26/2011