Jewett animal cruelty case partially resolved with guilty plea

One portion of the Jewett animal cruelty case in which numerous animals were found dead or near death last May has been resolved.

Jamie Wright, 35, a former Jewett resident, pleaded guilty to 36 counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals.

Judge T. Shawn Hervey said Wright completed an Ohio Risk Assessment, an evaluation for the Eastern Ohio Correction Center and a presentence investigation. Six counts were dismissed, with the remaining charges consisting of fifth-degree felonies and first- and second-degree misdemeanors.

During the hearing, Hervey asked Wright if she could read and write English, a standard question for defendants. Wright responded “no,” with the remainder of her answer largely unintelligible. Hervey explained she would not be sentenced on the misdemeanor charges under the Ohio Revised Code.

“So, if you’re convicted of felonies and misdemeanors at the same sentencing, I only have jurisdiction to sentence you on the felonies,” Hervey said.

Hervey said if the felony sentences were imposed consecutively, Wright could face up to 12 years in prison and fines totaling $30,000. He noted the offenses do not carry mandatory prison terms and that Wright was eligible for community-based control. The charges were grouped into three sets of 12, consisting of 12 fifth-degree felonies and 24 misdemeanors, to which Wright maintained her guilty plea.

Prosecutor Lauren Knight detailed the conditions investigators found, describing “kittens in a bag that were deceased” and “dogs that were found behind the dryer.”

“These animals suffered for most of their lives and certainly toward the end of them,” Knight said, adding Wright “should be punished for the treatment of those animals.”

Knight argued that anything short of incarceration would demean the seriousness of the offenses and asked the court to permanently prohibit Wright from owning companion animals. She also told the court Wright had begun accumulating more animals after fleeing to Indiana, where she was later arrested.

“It was another incident of collecting animals similar to this one,” Knight said. “So if she were ever permitted to have companion animals, this would happen again, and maybe worse.”

Harrison County public defender C. Adrian Pincola said his client understood the potential consequences and did not object to the findings of the evaluations.

Hervey said fifth-degree felonies carry an “overwhelming presumption” for community-based control but described the facts of the case as “extremely disturbing” and the conditions the animals were found in as “abhorrent, shameful and unacceptable.”

“This is one of the worst cases of animal neglect that I’ve ever seen,” Hervey told Wright, adding she deserved a harsher penalty than the law allowed him to impose.

Hervey sentenced Wright to four years of community-based control on each felony count, including time at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center. He described the facility as one step above county jail and one step below prison and imposed the maximum allowed under the law.

“If I could do more I would,” Hervey said. “You will never, never own a companion animal again. You will not be permitted to be in the presence of companion animals again.”

He warned Wright that violating the order would result in her community-based control being revoked and a prison sentence imposed.

“And believe me, I’m looking for a reason to do it,” Hervey said.

Hervey also held in reserve an 11-month prison sentence on each felony count, to be served consecutively for a total of 33 months. He said an automatic appeal would have resulted in 12 months on each count.

Wright shook her head several times during the proceedings.

The second defendant in the case, Stacy L. Wymer, 46, faces 42 counts, including 14 felony charges. Her hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24 at 9:30 a.m.