Newport Beach man pleads guilty to puppy abuse
A parolee pleaded guilty in Orange County Superior Court on Thursday to abusing a puppy by lassoing it with a leash and swinging it by the neck during an argument with his girlfriend.
Verne Joseph Strong, 57, of Newport Beach was convicted of a misdemeanor count of animal abuse after the judge reduced the charge from a felony. The reduction eliminated a sentencing enhancement for a previous conviction for second-degree commercial burglary, for which he was on parole.
Over the prosecutor’s objections, the judge sentenced Strong to 317 days in jail, for which he was given 317 days’ credit for time served. The Orange County district attorney’s office had sought a prison term.
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