Two sentenced in animal cruelty case

By Linda Cicoira

The sad and sickening story of 35 dogs, starved, thirsty, used for breeding, and kept in cages that were not cleaned, causing them to wallow in their excrement, was heard Monday in Northampton Circuit Court.

The dogs, two cats, and four snakes were seized after it was reported to police last August that a foul odor was coming from a residence in the Jamesville area. At first, officers made a welfare check at the Occohannock Neck Road home, said Commonwealth’s Attorney Jack Thornton.

The sheriff’s office then obtained a search warrant and found deplorable conditions for the animals in the house, yard, and a trailer. One officer became so overcome by the “disgusting” scene that he vomited, Thornton said.

Initially, the owner, 43-year-old Tyrone Tyweise Onley, and his daughter, 25-year-old Tamica Tashay Gunter, were each charged with 35 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.

Onley pleaded guilty Thursday to 10 charges. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail for each charge to run consecutively. All but 60 days was suspended. He is scheduled to report to jail on March 14 and would be permitted to serve his time on weekends.

Gunter pleaded guilty to one charge. Thornton said she lived there but was the least culpable. She was given a suspended 12-month term.

Plea bargains prohibited either of them from owning a companion animal. Both will be on good behavior for the full length of their sentences.

A third person, 36-year-old Joshua Payne, of Newark, Del., was charged with four counts of animal cruelty in connection with the case. Thornton said Payne is in jail in Delaware and will be extradited to face the charges here.

The dogs were kept in various kennels stacked on top of each other,” Thornton said. Some had sores and were “very aggressive due to the abuse.” Some had to be “put down” because their condition was so severe, he added.

Thornton said the breeding operation was for “bully” dogs. He said Payne’s involvement was that he provided the “prize” stud, which he had left with Onley. The dogs were to be in the dog show circuit.