I can't believe the nastyness of some people!
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A man who admitted setting puppies on fire pleaded guilty to reduced charges Friday amid concerns that his confession to police wouldn't hold up in court.
Ryan Turtura, 20, was charged with stealing five puppies from the Colorado Humane Society shelter and setting them on fire in February. Two of the puppies died.
Turtura now contends another person was involved.
"Someone else is involved," said his defense attorney William Rios. "He is so afraid of him and his whole family that he'd rather do this and go to prison than give it up."
Turtura made no mention of an accomplice when he was arrested March 3 and gave a statement to police.
Two burning dogs were discovered at the Olde Towne movie theaters in Arvada on Feb. 16 by an employee taking out trash. A dead dog with burns over 90 percent of its body was found in a blazing dog carrier. The other burning dog was bound in duct tape.
Turtura told police that he left the dogs burning and later returned to the shelter, at 2760 S. Platte River Drive, to steal two more dogs.
He allegedly bound one dog with duct tape and set it on fire in a stairwell at Bally's Total Fitness on West Bowles Avenue. That dog died. Turtura was dragging another dog by the scruff of its neck when he was spotted. He dropped that dog and ran off.
Prosecutors agreed to the plea bargain rather than risk acquittal if the judge barred Turtura's statement from being used in the trial, set to begin Monday.
Prosecutor Kathy Sasak said there were questions about whether Turtura was in custody when the statement was made, whether it was voluntary and whether he was properly advised of his rights. She also said the statement fell short of a complete confession.
Turtura pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and contributing to the delinquency of a minor by supplying methamphetamine to two young teenagers in an unrelated case.
Charges of arson and burglary were dismissed as part of the plea bargain. Those charges could have sent Turtura to prison for more than 30 years.
He now faces up to 10 1/2 years in prison when he is sentenced in January.
Turtura will be evaluated before he is sentenced by specialists for his use of fire and cruelty to animals.
"We're really pleased that the charges that were important to us, the three cruelty charges, were upheld," said Bob Warren of the humane society. He said his staff, traumatized by the treatment of dogs they cared for, was relieved not to have to go through a trial.
"This way, we know he's not going to get away with it," he said.
Warren said the case was watched by animal activists throughout the country and abroad.
"This is the kind of case that typically gets pled to a misdemeanor the first day and never sees the light of day," Warren said. " . . . Animal abuse is what spousal abuse used to be: the dark secret nobody talked about."
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