Allexis Ferrell, 27, was handed down the sentence on Monday by Stark County Common Pleas Judge Frank Forchione, who expressed his disgust and shock at the crime.
According to The New York Post, Judge Forchione did not mince words when addressing Ferrell in court. "To me, you present quite a danger to our community," he told her. "This is repulsive to me. I mean, that anyone would do this to an animal. And an animal’s like a child. I don’t know if you understand that or not," he said. "I can’t express the disappointment, shock, disgust that this crime has brought to me. I don’t know what could prompt anyone to want to eat a cat."
December 05, 2024
Ferrell, who pleaded guilty to a felony charge of animal cruelty, was caught in the act on August 16. Police bodycam footage showed her on all fours outdoors, consuming the cat while horrified neighbors looked on. The police arrived on the scene after receiving a 911 call. One officer can be heard asking Ferrell, "What did you do? Why did you kill the cat?"
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In court, Judge Forchione labeled Ferrell a national embarrassment. "You’ve embarrassed this county," he said. "You’ve embarrassed this nation. More importantly, you’ve embarrassed yourself."
The case gained further notoriety in September, coinciding with a since-debunked claim by then-President-elect Donald Trump that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were eating local pets. Officials clarified that Ferrell is not an immigrant and her case is not connected to that claim.
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Stark County prosecutor Chelsea Small, who spoke to The Post on Monday, said that the one-year sentence for the cat-eating incident will be added to a separate 18-month sentence Ferrell received for two previous crimes — a 2019 theft case and a child endangerment case from last year. "It’s one of the most disturbing cases that I’ve seen as a prosecutor," Small said of the cat incident.
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Ferrell's defense attorney, Stephen Kandel, told the Massillon Independent that his client has a history of drug and alcohol issues. He has arranged for Ferrell to undergo inpatient treatment following her release. This case underscores the need for stronger measures to protect animals and the importance of addressing substance abuse issues that can lead to such horrifying acts.
