Abandonment case:Dogs recovering after being abandoned inside house
A Cambridge man now convicted of abandoning 16 dogs at his Franklin Avenue home including five that died, will spend the next 90 days in the Guernsey County Jail in accordance with a joint plea agreement.
Gregory Graham Sr., 46, entered guilty pleas Friday to six counts of prohibition of companion animals and three counts of abandoning animals. All nine offenses are second-degree misdemeanors.
Cambridge Municipal Court Magistrate Teresa Liston sentenced Graham to 90 days in jail for each conviction — the maximum allowable by Ohio law. Two sentences were ordered to be served consecutively for 180 days behind bars.
The remaining 90-day sentences will be served concurrently to the 180-day term.
Abandonment case:Man accused of abandoning 16 dogs agrees to negotiated plea
Liston suspended 90 days of the sentence and ordered Graham to begin serving the remaining sentence immediately. He was taken into custody at the conclusion of the hearing and transported to the county jail.
Once Graham serves his time in jail, he will be placed on five years of probation.
Liston warned Graham he would be “returned to jail” if he violates the terms of his probation.
No fine was imposed, although Graham faced a maximum $750 fine for each charge. He was ordered to pay all court costs by Nov. 1, or appear in the municipal court for a review hearing.
Abandoned dogs haven been successfully adopted
The Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office did not request restitution for the cost of medical care for the 11 dogs that survived. All of the dogs have successfully been adopted by new owners with assistance from the Guernsey County Dog Shelter.
Abandonment case:Dogs recovering after being abandoned inside house
“This is a bad case, but I believe the settlement is appropriate,” said Cambridge Law Director Bill Ferguson.
The long-time prosecutor acknowledged Graham took responsibility for his actions after being arrested by sheriff’s deputies at a hotel in Cambridge. He also cited health and mental health issues Graham still faces as factors in the plea agreement.
Graham’s willingness to surrender the dogs immediately after his arrest helped the dog warden obtain the medical care the dogs needed.
The dogs were treated by local veterinarian, Dr. Hallie Nesselroad, at the Cambridge Animal Clinic.
Court orders ban from owning companion animals
The court banned Graham from owning companion animals and ordered him to continue mental health counseling.
Defense Attorney Beau Cross said his client was struggling mentally with the death of his father on Feb. 1, just days before the dogs were found abandoned at the residence.
“His father’s passing was very hard on him,” said Cross. “But, Mr. Graham understands that does not excuse him for his actions. The counseling has been extremely healthful for him.”
Graham told Liston he has cried over the treatment of the dogs and apologized multiple times.
“It should have never happened,” said Graham.
Guernsey County Dog Warden Karla Kerns told the magistrate that she knows of no prior history of Graham abusing animals, although she shared the severity of the scene with Liston.
“I have not seen anything like this since I became the dog warden,” said Kerns. “Those dogs had been suffering for months. Maybe even years. Many of the dogs are now in good hands and are no longer suffering, but some didn’t survive.”
Ten adult dogs and a puppy were recused from the Franklin Avenue home on Feb. 22.
Abandonment case:Man in dog abandonment case arrested at Cambridge hotel
Kerns and deputies visited the home multiple times from Feb. 19 to 21 trying to conduct a wellness check. Neighbors reported they had not seen Graham since the first days of February.
Authorities said a combination of dog feces, urine, trash and rotting material was 1 to 2 feet deep on the floor in portions of the house. Cambridge firefighters enter the home with self-contained breathing apparatus and Tyvek suits to remove the dogs.
Graham waived his right to a trial at the start of the sentencing hearing.
Email: rstillion@daily-jeff.com