Orangeburg man accused of burning puppy alive sentenced to 5 years
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– An Orangeburg man accused of burning his ex-girlfriend’s puppy alive during a domestic dispute was sentenced on Thursday morning.
Desmond Levon Brown, 30, of Orangeburg, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for animal crushing, which includes burning, under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (PACT Act).
On Dec. 18, 2024, the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a Facebook Live video showing Brown throwing a puppy into a fire that day.
Deputies discovered the deceased puppy in a wooded area near the incident location, says the DOJ.
Federal law enforcement obtained the Facebook video, which showed Brown holding the puppy above the fire, dropping it into the fire, and repeatedly kicking the puppy into the fire every time it tried to escape, burning it alive.
After his arrest, Brown was recorded on jail calls admitting to burning the puppy, say officials.
“Brown’s actions were cruel, heinous and depraved,” states U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute animal cruelty in South Carolina.”
A United States district judge sentenced Brown to 60 months’ imprisonment which is to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.
As a condition of his supervised release, Brown is prohibited from owning or possessing any animal.
“This puppy could neither fend for itself nor find a way out of this horrific torture because it was thrown into the fire over and over,” Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell states. “Hopefully, this sentence will give Brown enough time to realize what he has done, and it weighs on his heart for the rest of his days.”
Citizens can report suspected animal abuse to local law enforcement, the Department of Justice or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This is the first conviction under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act in South Carolina.
