The following press release was issued by the Orange County District Attorney's Office regarding an NBPD Animal Control animal cruelty investigation:
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was convicted and sentenced to nine months in jail yesterday for animal cruelty and petty theft after killing his roommates’ dog and removing the evidence from the scene.
| Defendant |
Charges |
Sentence (Court Offer) |
Justin James Pope, 27,
Newport Beach |
Pleaded guilty yesterday to the following counts:
Felony
• Animal cruelty
• Petty theft
Misdemeanor
• Destroying or concealing evidence
• False report to officer |
Nine months in Orange County
Jail
Five years of formal probation |
Circumstances of the Case
• At the time of the crime, Pope had been roommates with Jane Doe for approximately one month.
• On Aug. 30, 2017, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Pope killed Jane Doe’s dog in their home.
• Jane Doe received a call from Pope informing her of the death of her dog and contacted the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD).
• NBPD officers responded to the residence. Blood, urine, and feces were observed in suspicious locations, but no property was missing from the home at the time.
• After officers left, Pope staged a burglary, removed evidence, and disposed of Jane Doe’s television in a nearby apartment complex.
• At approximately 10:22 p.m., Jane Doe called NBPD to report a residential burglary occurred at the residence. Jane Doe’s television, Pope’s television and Xbox, and evidence previously in the home during the earlier investigation were missing.
• NBPD located the missing television and Xbox in the trunk of Pope’s vehicle and arrested Pope at the scene.
Newport Beach Police Department Animal Control Unit investigated this case.
Prosecutor: Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Malone, Environmental Protection Unit
