Dozens of dead animals were found last week in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, leading to the arrest of a Marlborough man.
Sturbridge police and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Wednesday that 96 animals were found dead one week earlier at a piece of property rented by Andrew Sebastiano.
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The animals included pigs, rabbits, chickens, geese and ducks.
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The Marlborough resident was arrested Tuesday, police and the MSPCA said. He was arraigned Wednesday in Dudley District Court on 96 counts of animal cruelty and 96 counts of animal cruelty by custodian, both subsequent offenses.
"This is an extremely disturbing case of animal cruelty, none like I have seen in my career," Sturbridge Police Chief Earl Dessert said in a statement. "The sheer number of animals that suffered and perished is truly heartbreaking."
MSPCA Law Enforcement Director Chris Schindler said Sebastiano left the property in February.
"We're grateful to Sturbridge Police for collaborating with us on this and helping find the suspect," Schindler said in a statement. "This was a devastating scene, and we wish that we had been able to intercede in the weeks before these animals perished, but, unfortunately, the call came too late."
An adult dog was seized when Sebastiano was arrested, authorities said. That animal is in the care of MSPCA-Angell. No information about its condition has been released.
Sebastiano previously pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges in 2021 and was sentenced to probation, the MSPCA said.
"Our current legal framework for addressing animal cruelty in Massachusetts is long overdue for additional tools, beyond the current statutes," Schindler said. "Not all offenses are or should be treated equally, but that's often what happens in our current system."
The MSPCA said it supports legislation being considered in the state that would bar people convicted of animal cruelty from owning an animal for at least five years.
Sebastiano was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on April 1, authorities said. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
