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PUTNAM VALLEY---A Putnam Valley man who kicked a 15-year-old dog so hard that it died the same day has been sentenced to 20 weekends in jail and 50 hours of community service.
The dog, Rozi, a mixed-breed German shepherd was owned by Lisa and Bill Sampson, neighbors of Frank Aquino, 41, an employee of the United Parcel Service.
The dog wandered into Aquino's yard on May 30 while Aquino was conducting a barbecue. The Sampsons had owned the 45-pound dog which was hard of hearing since she was a puppy. Aquino kicked the dog so hard that it limped over to a nearby bush and was found dead an hour later.
Aquino was arrested June 9 and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a felony. The charge was reduced to misdemeanor animal cruelty.
He was also fined $1,000, placed on three years of probation and ordered to pay $485 in restitution. He was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.
According to his attorney, Aquino has received 60 threatening letters and telephone calls and three death threats.
For the first time since the incident last June, Aquino apologized to the Sampsons in court during his sentencing but avoided eye contact with them.
During sentencing, Putnam Valley town justice Louis DiCarlo said Aquino's act was "callous and horribly cruel….Your actions bespeak some sort of emotional or mental issue". 1-14-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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