A man authorities say was caught on video beating his dog with a metal chain leash at a downtown Los Angeles apartment building pleaded no contest Monday to a felony animal cruelty charge.
Donald Jeffes, now 41, was immediately sentenced to a 10-year animal ban, 300 hours of community service and two years probation, along with being ordered to stay away from a witness, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Los Angeles police said Jeffes was arrested last April following an investigation in which they were shown a video depicting the suspect walking in a hallway and striking an American micro bully with a metal leash.
Police said there was no evidence that the dog, named Rusty, was still living at the location at the time the warrant was served.
Jeffes was subsequently released on electronic monitoring under the conditions that he could not have any animals under his care or control and that he was required to stay away from the person who contacted police, the District Attorney’s Office said last year.