Alleged drug conspirator charged with animal cruelty

Erin Cleavenger, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
·1 min read
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Feb. 2—One of the nine people arrested earlier this week in a multi-location drug bust is now facing charges for cruelty to animals.

Charges were filed on Thursday, Feb. 1 against Kenietha Sandra Cason, 21, of Morgantown regarding a Dec. 5, 2023, incident that was captured on video.

According to the criminal complaint filed by West Virginia University Police Master Patrol Officer C.J. Behm, the video allegedly shows Cason striking and poking a dog with the handle of a broom.

Behm reported that during the incident, the dog can be heard yelping when struck. According to the complaint, Cason stops striking the dog when the handle of the broom is bent.

Cason is charged with cruelty to animals — intentionally torturing an animal. West Virginia code defines torture as "an action taken for the primary purpose of inflicting pain."

Cason remains in custody at North Central Regional Jail. A $25, 000 bond for the cruelty to animals charge will be in addition to the $500, 000 bond set earlier this week for her role in a drug distribution conspiracy.