Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Man charged for shooting pit bull

A Prescott man has been charged with cruelty to animals and illegal possession of a firearm after he allegedly used a gun to shoot a pit bull.

Kory Lematthew McSwain, 23, 526 E. Second St., was charged after reportedly confessing to police that he had shot the dog.

According to court records, Prescott Police Department K-9 Officer John Pettit and Officer Danny Martin each heard gunshots from the Second Street area on Aug. 25. While patrolling that area, they saw McSwain and a second man, but both got into a car and began to drive away. They were stopped and asked about the shots but both denied having heard the shots or knowing anything about it.

When Martin and Pettit made their way to Gulley Street, they discovered a large spot of blood on the roadway. A trail of blood led away from the scene and the officers soon found a pit bull in the brush by the roadside. Blood was coming from the head and shoulder area, according to the report.

The officers found spent rounds, lead bullets and a .32 automatic pistol. The report indicates that the pistol was not loaded.

On Aug. 26, McSwain reportedly contacted Pettit, saying that he wanted to tell what had happened. McSwain apparently told officers that he had found the pistol in his back yard on Gulley Street and that the pit bull had come to his residence and the dog appeared to be mean.

McSwain reportedly gave no other reason for the action, but did admit that he shot the dog, dropping the gun when he saw police.

According to the court records, McSwain could not say how the gun came to be in his yard or who owned the pit bull.

Other charges recently filed with in Nevada County are as follows.

Jamie Dyson Langford, 4412 Highway 371, was charged with driving while intoxicated, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of crack cocaine and endangering the welfare of a minor after a traffic stop in early August. Langford reportedly told officers she had injected cocaine into her system and had a minor in the vehicle with her at the time. She was released with no cash.

Christopher Terry Palmer, 24, 319 S. Green, Hope was charged with aggravated assault after allegedly hitting a man with his truck in Emmet on Sept. 3.

April Renee Cross, 32, 2375 Highway 299, was charged with criminal attempt to fraudulently obtain a controlled substance after reportedly presenting a stolen prescription to a local pharmacy.

Johnny Lamont Sorrells 34, West Terrace Acres 18, was charged with forgery and theft of property after he allegedly tried to cash a stolen check at a local bank.