Wilkes-Barre man sentenced for killing dog

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Updated ·2 min read
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Jun. 1—WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County judge felt Ryan Brown did not show any remorse for stabbing and choking a Pit Bull named Bandit as a humane officer with the SPCA believes the dog was buried alive.

Brown, 36, address listed as 144 Carlisle St., Wilkes-Barre, did not take too kindly having his picture taken as he was escorted from the courthouse after Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. sentenced him to prison for nine to 24 months on Thursday. Brown admitted to killing Bandit as he pled guilty to a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals.

SPCA humane officers unearthed Bandit from a shallow grave in the rear yard of a Carlisle Street home on July 11, according to court records.

Brown initially claimed he found the dog dead and buried it in the back yard. He also claimed the dog attacked and killed his smaller dog.

A witness told humane officers Brown strangled Bandit by using his foot as leverage and pulled on a collar strangulating the dog. When Bandit growled, Brown struck the dog in the head with a shovel and retrieved a kitchen knife he used to stab Bandit several times in the head area, court records say.

Brown then buried Bandit in the shallow grave behind 142 Carlisle St., where the dog was recovered days after its death.

In court Thursday, Humane Officer Wayne Harvey said the case was one of the most horrific he has experienced, telling Sklarosky he believed Bandit was still alive when the dog was buried.

While Brown opted not to speak before he was sentenced, his lawyer, Stephanie T. Fernandes, from the county Public Defender's Office, said he "loves animals and he does love dogs," and took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges.

"He deeply regrets what he did," Fernandes said.

Sklarosky said the killing of the dog was a senseless act of violence and felt Brown did not show any remorse for murdering the dog.

Brown was awarded 165 days time served at the county prison and was advised he will have to petition the court for early parole. He was also prohibited from owning pets.

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