A Mendota man is to serve five years on probation for strangling a four-month old puppy to death. Lucas Ramey pleaded guilty two months ago to aggravated cruelty to an animal. Prosecutor Matt Kidder says the puppy fought for its life, scratching at the 20-year old Ramey, during a “very torturous” and “extremely cruel” incident in LaSalle in September. Kidder asked for a one-and-a-half year prison sentence for Ramey.
Ramey told Judge H. Chris Ryan this afternoon, “I’m very sorry for what I’ve done.” He said he wasn’t in the right state of mind because of problems with drugs. The probation Ramey is starting is meant to deal with addiction and mental health issues. While he’s on it, he can’t have any pets or even visit anyone who does.
Judge Ryan said with Ramey’s age, lack of a criminal record, and show of remorse, he can’t jump straight to a prison sentence for him. The probation sentence is what Ramey’s attorney, David Kaleel, asked for. Kaleel read part of a letter from someone who knows Ramey. It said Ramey loved the dog but something must have snapped inside him.