LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A Las Cruces man who pleaded guilty to extreme cruelty to animals for strangling his 4-month-old puppy after stepping on its throat has been sentenced to 2½ years in prison.
Richard McCord was given credit for more than a year of time served and also will be on parole for a year after his release.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports the 42-year-old pleaded guilty last month and was sentenced April 2.
McCord was arrested in January 2011 after a witness reported seeing him grab a 4-month female border collie-mix and kick it until it quit yelping.
Las Cruces police reports say McCord may have killed the puppy later that day by stepping on its neck. McCord then wrapped the dog in a carpet and tossed it in the trash.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.