Man who set dog on fire pleads guilty to animal cruelty
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man accused of dousing a dog in gasoline and setting her on fire in a case that made national attention in 2022 pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated cruelty to animals.
Quishon Brown, 45, of Alabama was sentenced on June 18 to one year of confinement in the cruelty case of Riona the dog.
Riona was burned over 60% of her body but went on to make a slow recovery thanks to a rescue group. The group made a statement on its Facebook page Wednesday.
“We are relieved it has come to an end legally and Riona has received justice,” Tails of Hope Dog Rescue wrote. “Her story literally spread worldwide creating much awareness regarding abuse against animals.”
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In July of 2022, Brown was charged with several counts of aggravated animal abuse after someone shared surveillance video of a dog in flames running through a Nutbush neighborhood.
Brown still faces separate charges of rape of a child between 8 and 13 and statutory rape by an authority figure in an ongoing case. He was indicted in February, and his next court date is set for July 26 in that case.
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Riona was adopted by a family in 2023. Two other dogs were rescued from Brown’s property.
The verdict gives some peace to Ginger Natoli, director of Tails of Hope. When Riona turns to the other side, it’s hard to forget the truth behind her scars.
But in the meantime, she’s choosing to celebrate this conviction.
Riona underwent countless surgeries and eight months of recovery, racking up a $92,000 medical bill, the largest in Tails of Hope history.
“She was very fixable, all she needed was the right medical and surgery,” Natoli said. “She had a will to live, she was young. And as long as she wanted to fight, we were there for her. She was worth it.”
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