TOMS RIVER – A Brick man was sentenced to 270 days in Ocean County Jail for an animal cruelty violation.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced on January 10 that Jonathon Correa, 31, was sentenced, by the Judge Guy P. Ryan to serve 270 days in jail as a condition of four years of supervised probation as the result of a plea of guilty
Another condition of his sentence is that Correa will not be allowed to own any animals while on probation and must perform 180 hours of community service, the maximum allowed by law. His community service cannot be served in any capacity with any organization where animals are involved.
Correa was also ordered to pay restitution to Brick
Township in the amount of $1,735 for veterinary bills incurred by the Township. Correa pled
guilty before Judge Ryan on September 30, 2019. His case involved leaving his dog, Princess, a 13-month-old Pit Bull, unattended outside his townhome balcony for hours on July 1, 2018.
Princess endured temperatures that reached upwards of 97 degrees. Several neighbors noticed the dog’s distress and called Brick Township Police. Princess was transported to Emergency Veterinary Service but unfortunately succumbed to complications from heat stroke.
Prosecutor Billhimer would like to acknowledge the fine work of Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly Carr, who handled the case on behalf of the State and the Brick Township Police Department for their assistance in bringing Correa to justice.
