Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Russell Brown, 67, and Jamar Belle, 28, of North Carolina, were indicted for unlawfully confining 19 Pitbull puppies within a vehicle without access to food, water, or clean air, and causing them to become covered in urine and feces. The defendants’ vehicle also contained a two-year-old child sitting near two loaded guns.
“The alleged actions of these defendants represent a despicable level of disregard for the well-being of not one, but two of our most vulnerable populations: animals and children,” said District Attorney Tierney. “While the victims in this case cannot advocate for themselves, we will. To those who think they can get away with such abuses, take note. The abuse and neglect of animals and children will not be tolerated in Suffolk County.”
According to the investigation, on September 1, 2023, at approximately 7:10 p.m., Suffolk County Police officers observed Brown and Belle inside a 2022 Jeep Compass parked in a lot on Merritt Avenue in Wyandanch. Inside the Jeep, police discovered a total of 19 Pitbull puppies confined in two containers. Ten of the puppies were placed in a rusted crate in the trunk of the Jeep, and nine were placed in a plastic bin on the back seat.
The officers inspected the puppies and saw that they were covered in urine and feces, and noted there was a strong odor of excrement emanating from the vehicle. The puppies were approximately five to six weeks old, and their mother was not present to nurse them. The puppies were transported for veterinary treatment and evaluation. All 19 puppies are available for adoption.
Officers also discovered a two-year-old child in the backseat of the vehicle next to the puppies. When they searched inside the vehicle further, police found two loaded firearms in the back seat near where the two-year-old child had been seated. Child Protective Services was contacted to evaluate and place the two-year-old child in protective care.
Brown was indicted for:
- Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Class C violent felonies;
- Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Class E felonies;
- Nineteen Counts of Neglect of an Impounded Animal, Unclassified misdemeanors;
- Ten Counts of Carrying an Animal in a Cruel Manner, Unclassified misdemeanors;
- One Count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor; and
- One Count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.
Belle was indicted for:
- Two Counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Class C violent felonies;
- Two Counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Class E felonies;
- Nineteen Counts of Neglect of an Impounded Animal, Unclassified misdemeanors;
- Ten Counts of Carrying an Animal in a Cruel Manner, Unclassified misdemeanors; and
- One Count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor.
On September 14, 2023, at Brown’s arraignment on the indictment, Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Timothy P. Mazzei, ordered that Brown be held on $50,000 cash, $100,000 bond, or $500,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Brown is due back in court on October 12, 2023, and is being represented by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society.
On September 25, 2023, at Belle’s arraignment on the indictment, Judge Mazzei ordered that Belle be held on $15,000 cash, $40,000 bond, or $70,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Belle is due back in court on October 19, 2023, and is being represented by John Loturco, Esq.
The Fund for Animal Cruelty Treatment of Suffolk, Inc. (FACTS) has partnered with Suffolk County law enforcement to provide much-needed assistance for victims of animal cruelty. FACTS has committed to providing financial assistance for the puppies in this case. To find out how they are helping these animals, and how you can help too, visit FactsSaves.org.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Annemarie DiBlasio and John Sciandra of the Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team (BEAST), with investigative assistance from Detective Obed Jean-Pierre of the Suffolk County Police Department’s First Squad.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.