Demetria Hogan, the Memphis Animal Services control officer who was arrested last year after a pit bull dog went missing from her care, has been indicted on four counts of official misconduct, one count of forgery, one count of theft of property, and one count of animal cruelty.
Hogan picked up two pit bulls in Cordova that had escaped from their backyard on June 24th. She wrote in her log that she picked up both dogs and checked them into the shelter’s holding area. But only one dog actually made it back to the animal shelter. Video surveillance showed that Hogan never checked the dogs into the holding area. One dog, Jersey, was handled by another employee. A police investigation revealed that Hogan stole the older pit bull, Kapone.
After a massive media campaign boasting an $8,000 reward for Kapone’s return, the dog was finally discovered living in a home in Senatobia, Mississippi. The details as to how Kapone got there are not clear.
Hogan’s cruelty charge stems from a separate incident, when a stray she picked up on July 12th died from the heat while in her care.
The charges for official misconduct, forgery, and theft of property are Class E felonies. If convicted, Hogan will face a sentence of one to six years. The cruelty to animals charge is a Class A misdemeanor and carries a sentence of up to 11 months and 29 days.
