2 months ago
A Baltimore region man has been sentenced to 20 years successful situation aft being recovered blameworthy of defrauding pet owners done his clone crematorium business, returning rocks and soil to grieving victims alternatively of ashes.
On Tuesday, 56-year-old Rodney Ward was besides ordered to salary $12,510 successful restitution to victims. He had pleaded blameworthy to 1 count of felony theft and 5 counts of malicious demolition of spot complete $1,000, according to the Baltimore region state’s attorney’s office.
Prosecutors said Ward and his wife, Yalanda, defrauded astatine slightest 50 victims done their unlicensed pet crematorium, Loving Care Pet Funeral and Cremation Services, based successful Catonsville successful Baltimore county. Altogether, nan mates collected astir $13,000 from victims, according to tribunal documents reviewed by CBS.
Last year, investigators discovered 8 dormant animals successful a wooded area, including a canine named Rusty. Speaking to WBALTV earlier this year, Rusty’s owner, Beverly Rassen, said: “I gave Rodney my babe … I trusted him to bring backmost my baby, but he threw him connected nan broadside of nan road, conscionable for illustration he was trash.”
Following that discovery, investigators recovered 38 decomposing animals successful nan backmost of a hearse successful Ward’s driveway past April, according to tribunal records reviewed by section outlets.
In February, nan Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter said it was holding nan remains of respective animals, including a “brown tabby feline successful a greenish Puma shoebox, gold/white and golden sparkle sweater”, a “guinea pig, tricolor”, a “dog, black/white, mini breed, pinch a multicolored paw blanket”, a “cat, orange, mean hair, pinch a Styrofoam casket”, a “guinea pig, tricolor, reddish and achromatic zip-top bag” and a “brown/white pitbull type, pinch a bluish ablution curtain pinch daisies and black-and-white sheet”.
Yet for immoderate pet owners, nan destiny of their animals remains unknown. During Ward’s trial, pet proprietor Nikki Pickens said: “Why did you time off them connected nan broadside of nan road? Why did you battalion them successful that hearse, and for nan remainder of us, wherever are our pets?” CBS reported.
Pet proprietor Sharon Thomas said she had entrusted Ward’s business pinch nan remains of her 17-year-old work dog, Blackie Dior, adding: “He quoted scripture; he did each of this to make maine consciousness comfortable. I would ne'er deliberation that he would beryllium truthful demonic.”
According to tribunal officials, victims said nan alleged cremation ashes they received contained gravel, baking soda and debris. Forensic anthropologist Rhys Williams said astir of nan ashes contained “building materials”.
Pet proprietor Joy Schoonover told CBS past twelvemonth that erstwhile she received nan alleged ashes of her 17-year-old cat, Garfield, “it looked for illustration sand, actual pinch wires wrong of it”. She added during nan trial: “You looked astatine america successful nan oculus and quoted scripture to make america consciousness safe, each while readying to discard our beloved companions for illustration they were trash.”
During sentencing, nan Baltimore region circuit tribunal judge Keith Truffer condemned nan “scope, extent and callousness” of Ward’s actions and said that he would see reducing his condemnation if Ward revealed accusation astir nan missing pet remains, nan Baltimore Banner reported.
However, adjunct Baltimore region state’s lawyer Adam Lippe formed uncertainty connected Ward’s credibility, telling WBALTV: “Don’t judge 1 connection that comes retired of his rima … If it happens, we’ll travel up connected it and we’ll do nan correct thing.”
