Animal Cruelty

Martinsburg woman charged with animal cruelty now charged with prostitution MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- A woman charged last week in an animal cruelty case has been charged with solicitation of prostitution, Martinsburg Police Department announced Wednesday. Breshannon L. Deveraux, 33, of 252 E. Burke St., Martinsburg, allegedly solicited sexual favors in exchange for money from a confidential informant in the 300 block of South Rosemont Avenue on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. - Two Martinsburg residents are accused of abusing a pit bull that was found chained in the attic of a home with open wounds on its nose and mouth, which authorities said Friday had been duct taped shut to keep it from barking. Randall Craig Siford Jr., 34, and Breshannon Leslie Deveraux, 33, both of 252 E. Burke St., were charged with felony counts of animal cruelty, according to police and Berkeley County Magistrate Court records. A $10,000 bond was set for each defendant in arraignment hearings Thursday night and Friday morning by Magistrate JoAnn Overington and Jim Humphrey, according to court records.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Two Martinsburg residents are accused of abusing a pit bull that was found chained in the attic of a home with open wounds on its nose and mouth, which authorities said Friday had been duct taped shut to keep it from barking. Randall Craig Siford Jr., 34, and Breshannon Leslie Deveraux, 33, both of 252 E. Burke St., were charged with felony counts of animal cruelty, according to police and Berkeley County Magistrate Court records. A $10,000 bond was set for each defendant in arraignment hearings Thursday night and Friday morning by Magistrate JoAnn Overington and Jim Humphrey, according to court records.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- In 30 days, excessive dog barking in Jefferson County will be illegal. After receiving complaints from some county residents about constant dog barking in some neighborhoods, the Jefferson County Commission on Thursday passed a law that allows for fines up to $500 for barking dogs. Under the law, a barking dog would be considered a "nuisance" whenever two or more people in two different households complain about the animal. Public nuisance refers to a dog that excessively barks, howls or yelps intermittently or continuously for more than 15 minutes, according to the proposal.

HAGERSTOWN -- A Smithsburg woman on Thursday entered an Alford plea in Washington County Circuit Court to five counts of animal cruelty for failing to provide for doves, a cat and guinea pigs. Under an Alford plea, defendants do not admit guilt but acknowledge the state has enough evidence for a conviction. Bertha May Martin, 67, of 12903 Unger Road in Smithsburg, will not serve any jail time, but will be on three years of unsupervised probation, Washington County Circuit Judge Donald E. Beachley ordered.

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. -- The conviction of an Inwood, W.Va., woman who was ordered to pay $114,883 in restitution for Berkeley County Animal Control's care of 149 dogs seized from a canine shelter in 2006 has been upheld by a state trial court judge. The appeal filed by attorney Paul G. Taylor on behalf of Mara Spade, 63, was dismissed by 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Christopher C. Wilkes on Aug. 8, according to an order filed Monday with Berkeley County Circuit Clerk Virginia Sine's office.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Five felony counts of animal cruelty were dismissed Tuesday against a woman who is accused of inhumanely treating a number of goats, horses and cattle on property near Martinsburg. Debra H. Snider of 75 Wolf Hollow Road in Hedgesville, W.Va., still faces prosecution on four misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, which also were filed against her last week, Berkeley County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Stephanie Saunders said. Saunders said after the hearing Tuesday that the felony counts still could be refiled, pending additional investigation.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Berkeley County Sheriff W. Randy Smith said Thursday officers are still searching property just west of Martinsburg where a woman is accused of cruelly treating a number of goats, horses and cattle. Debra H. Snider, 55, of 75 Wolf Hollow Road, Hedgesville, W.Va., was arraigned on four misdemeanor counts and five felony counts of animal cruelty Wednesday afternoon by Berkeley County Magistrate JoAnn Overington. Smith said the sheriff's department's animal control division found two dead horses and five dead goats at the end of Legado Drive, which is accessed by Waverly Court off Delmar Orchard Road, west of Interstate 81. Four of the eight horses, 15 to 20 goats and two Texas Longhorn steers found alive at the property are being held in custody there, Smith said.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - A herd of cows seized by the Humane Society of Washington County late last year has a new home. A pasture owner outside Washington County has paid $10,000 for the cows, which were taken from their previous owner, Gregory Charles Wiles, in December 2007. Wiles pleaded guilty earlier this month in Washington County Circuit Court to animal cruelty charges. The 26 cows and one bull calf were taken to the new pasture Saturday, a spokeswoman for the Humane Society said Monday.

HAGERSTOWN -- A bench warrant was issued Monday morning for a 67-year-old woman accused of keeping malnourished doves and guinea pigs at her Smithsburg home. Washington County Circuit Judge W. Kennedy Boone III issued the bench warrant after Bertha Martin failed to appear for her trial in Washington County Circuit Court. Martin's defense attorney, Bernard W. Semler II, said his client has suffered health problems, and that the court date might have slipped her mind. Semler had expected his client to enter a plea Monday, he said.