STANTON - Charges have been filed against a Stanton Public School Board member related to an animal cruelty case.
Kirk Van Pelt of Stanton was arrested on Thursday. He faces two charges of aiding in animal cruelty and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child, all misdemeanor charges, related to an animal cruelty case involving four Stanton juveniles.
The case, involving a video shown to law enforcement that allegedly shows the graphic torture of a cat, has drawn attention from animal lovers throughout Northeast Nebraska who urged Stanton County authorities to charge the four teens as adults. They were instead charged as juveniles.
Attorney Amy Miller has been assigned as the special prosecutor for the case. She says the case involves the torture of the cat as well as a possum.
Van Pelt could face up to six years imprisonment if convicted on all six counts. He'll be arraigned in Stanton County Court on December 22nd, the same day all four juvenile will be in court to face animal cruelty charges as well.
In addition to his time on the School Board, he is the former Chief Deputy of the Stanton County Sheriff's Department.
↧