An Animal Control officer in Canton, Mississippi has been fired after authorities were led by a citizen tip to the remains of more than 100 dead pets in a creek. Alonzo Esco collected paychecks from the city for 3 years while he allegedly shot pets to death and dumped them:
Esco has not been charged with any crime as authorities consider their options for prosecution, Madison County District Attorney Michael Guest said Thursday.
The most Esco likely would face is multiple counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, which is punishable by up to six months in jail, Guest said.
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[Canton Alderman Charles] Weems said Esco was the only person in animal control, a division within the Canton Police Department. As an animal control officer, Esco could kill animals, but only if they were maimed or a threat to the community, Weems said.
Let me guess what the defense will be. Or maybe, since it’s just a misdemeanor, he won’t bother. If the MS justice system doesn’t take animal cruelty seriously, why should a murdering AC officer?
Esco also provided animal control duties for Madison County until the county’s contract with the city expired at the end of 2008, Board of Supervisors President Tim Johnson said.
Attention Madison County: Check your creeks.
Canton police opened the investigation when a woman filed a complaint after a pet she wanted to adopt never turned up at the Mississippi Animal Rescue League.
Yeah, I bet.