A former Palmdale Unified School District assistant superintendent pleaded no contest Tuesday to animal abuse charges after 19 pit bulls recovered from her home had to be euthanized.
Pauline Ruth Winbush, 53, and her live-in boyfriend Kevin Williams, 52, both pleaded no contest to one felony count each of possession with intent for dogfighting and animal neglect.
Deputy District Attorney Lyle Riggs said the third co-defendant in case MA064988, Rodney Scott (dob 3/6/69), entered a no contest plea to one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty.
Sentencing for Winbush and Williams is scheduled for May 5 in Department A16 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Antelope Valley Branch. Scott is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2017.
Winbush is facing 270 days in county jail and Williams faces a year in county jail.
Both face suspended prison sentences of more than three years, five years formal probation and animal cruelty classes.
Scott will not be able to own or possess any animals for a year.
On Oct. 29, 2014, officers with the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control searched Winbush and Williams’ Antelope Acres property after their horse was found roaming the streets.
Officers discovered dogs kept inside crates filled with feces and urine which were stored inside the defendant’s house, the prosecutor said. Some of the dogs also showed signs of being used for dogfighting.
Other animals discovered at the site included a tortoise, snakes and a box full of mice that appeared to be eating each other out of hunger, the prosecutor added. During the preliminary hearing it was revealed that evidence discovered at the property linked co-defendant Scott to the couple in an operation to breed pit bulls for fighting.
The case was investigated by the Department of Animal Care and Control and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
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57 Comments
What a scumbag!!! Hope they throw the book at her and she gets thrown in a cell and they throw the key away. Another idiot pet owner who is a piece of crap. Poor dogs lost their lives because of her. Sorry, I have no use for people who hurt kids and animals!!!!
All pit bulls should be illegal
You are an uneducated ignorant idiot.
Dumbest thing I’ve heard in a very long time!
Pit bulls are inherently dangerous.
They only reason they exsist is to kill and fight
Hahahahahahahahahaha you are a complete MORON. ^^^^
This little pit mix is the sweetest, most loving dog I have ever owned. All she wants to do is cuddle all day. She comes running to our son’s side the moment he cries. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her 60 lb body. In fact, she was attacked by a Golden Retriever and lost part of her ear; she never even retaliated. Discriminating against a breed is ridiculous. All dogs can be sweet or vicious…it is how they are raised.
Kelly Miyake such an adorable dog!! They really are the best. Mine loves kids
Good job Lee????!! You’re officially the prick of the post!!
If pit-bulls should be illegal so should stupid people, but clearly we all still have to put up with you don’t we!!!
I’d take my pit-bull over your pathetic ignorance any day!!!
Ps. We need stiffer penalties on animal abuse and a permanent ban on people like this owning animals!
Really Lee?!? How about all TROLLS s/b illegal. Are you enjoying the attention you’re getting for this comment? SMH
U should grow up. Please
Kelly Miyake My pits are awesome mini-mommies too. Very caring & loving. ?
We have a pit and he is the most loving fun dog we have ever owned! Booya!!!
Lee…you seriously shouldn’t say anything you obviously know NOTHING about. Just stop.
Read the news… most pit bulls attack family.. your foolish.. http://www.dogsbite.org/
Lee Poepping you can’t reason with crazy. take your negative nancy opinion elsewhere jackass. And don’t come on here posting about facts you know nothing about.
Lee Poepping or you will be the victim of an attack very soon.
Here’s a .org for you as well…
Check your facts!!!! Pitbulls are no more dangerous than any other breed!!!
Check ATTS.org as well
http://www.beachpetpals.org/info/display?PageID=5124
Goodbye may u be in peace. Clearly were getting nowhere
http://www.caninejournal.com/pit-bull-facts/
Bye Felicia!!!
Btw it’s *we’re otherwise known as *we are!!!
The fact that he can’t own an animal for ONLY a year is absolutely disgusting. I hope these two rot in hell for what they did. They deserve the ultimate punishment.
I don’t care what you think of pitbulls. But, there is NEVER a reason or excuse to mistreat them the way this ugly nasty waste of oxygen did.
One more thing….the sentence is waaaay to light.
wouldnt it have used less material to find the dogs homes and euthanize her?
Perfect solution for an abuser!!!
Well said mark!!
She needs to be euthanize too! Oh wait… Too painless
Only 1 year without a dog?!?!
How do psychos like this get to such a high position in a school district? That’s what scares me the most.
I have to say she was a very good assistant to the superintendent. She worked hard for the teachers. Just like most you dont know what happens when they are off the clock.
Dariann Carlon Van Holton meanwhile she’s fighting dogs when she gets off work. Classy!
Exactly!!… Scary to know that people with such an important role have a sick mind
This nut case worked with our kids, and I’ve had pit bulls my whole life and not once have I had any problems, my dogs we’re raced around kids, babies,people and so on, it’s not the dog it’s people who messed these dogs up.
Brandon Bellm, that’s why I homeschool my son. Well, people like this psycho AND communist/common crap/core.
This disgusts me. What awful people ?
The pathetic sentence they are receiving is a disgrace.
Jonathan Dennell
How does that happen??!?! ??
The laws for these crimes need to be harsher. Pit bulls are sweet, loving dogs and get a bad rep cuz of evil people like these two. I feel badly that the dogs were euthanized but at least they aren’t suffering anymore RIP. Poor pups never had a chance…?
The LACo Animal Control should have just made it 20 even, and euthanized her, too.
She is a dumb ass!!! Those poor dogs.
http://www.dogsbite.org/
So. You’re saying it’s ok that these dogs were severely abused? Do you advocate animal torture? Do you fight dogs…..?
What planet u on lady… u are highly offensive
You are posting on the wrong subject matter. This story is about people abusing animals and using them to fight. You are posting about pitbulls being dangerous dogs. It sounds like you are justifying her actions.
I’m not… my post was pitbulls are inherently dangerous. They were breed to fight. To many idiots get these animals without realizing or understanding this. Then once they can’t control them the let them roam or drop them in the desert. This is a huge reason to nake pitbulls illegal. There should be something more required to own a PB. U excluded from that group as I’m sure u are a responsible person
So stop attacking me…
Lee- think before you speak. Not the breed but ther owners fault. I have friends with some of tge sweetest pitbulls you’ll ever meet.
idoit people should be illegal sadly they aren’t though
Anyone surprised that it’s Palmdale?
TRASH
None of her co-workers at PUSD knew?! Give me a break! People look the other way for so long.
She needs to be treated the way her dogs were. She is a waste of a human being.