Lemuel Hunter Jr., 59, Leavenworth, Hunter was sentenced for a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty for singeing a dog’s whiskers with a propane torch. The incident was reported Feb. 19, 2018, at an apartment in downtown Leavenworth.

The Leavenworth County Attorney’s Office originally charged Hunter Jr., with a felony for this matter, but the court, found there was not evidence for maliciousness in this crime, but that he knowingly injured the dog.

At the time of sentencing, Assistant County Attorney, Michael Jones, requested jail time for this case. The defense attorney for the defendant asked that the court follow the recommendations of the court services pre-sentence investigation and give him probation with the underlying sentence of 12 months in jail. The court noted being an animal lover, ordered that Hunter serve 12 months of probation, with an underlying sentence of 12 months in jail if he violates the probation. The court further ordered he is to donate 500 dollars to the humane society, not possess an animal, refrain from alcohol or drugs, and follow other requirements standard to probation.

Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said, “Our office takes very seriously all crimes involving the harm to helpless animals.