El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer anunció que en octubre 15, 2021, Allissa DeStefano, 30, del río Toms, fue sentenciada por la Honorable Rochelle Gizinski, J.S.C., to a two- year term of probation as a result of a previously entered guilty plea to Animal Cruelty in violation of N.J.S.A. 4:22-17C(2). The Court ordered that DeStefano perform 60 days of community service, and further imposed a lifetime ban on her owning animals. The State argued for DeStefano to serve 364 days in the Ocean County Jail as a condition of probation. DeStefano pled guilty to the charge before Judge Gizinski on July 23, 2021.
Durante las tardes de noviembre 11, 2019, the Lacey Township Police Department responded to a residence in Lacey Township for a report that dogs had possibly been abandoned in the residence. Upon arrival, the officers determined that the house was indeed abandoned, and the remains of three dogs were discovered. An investigation by Detectives from the Lacey Township Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Animal Cruelty Squad revealed that DeStefano was responsible for the care of the dogs and had abandoned them in the residence, which resulted in their death. DeStefano was arrested without incident and processed at the Lacey Township Police Department. She was released on a summons pending future court appearances.
El Fiscal Billhimer reconoce los esfuerzos diligentes de la Fiscal Adjunta Kimberly Carr, quien manejó el caso en nombre del Estado., as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Animal Cruelty Squad and Lacey Township Police Department, por sus esfuerzos de colaboración en relación con esta investigación, ultimately resulting in DeStefano’s guilty plea and today’s sentence.