Breaking News
Local News

Guilty plea rendered to threats, dog killing

By From Mirror staff reports 2 min read

CLEARFIELD -- A Fallentimber man pleaded guilty Monday in Clearfield County Court for his part in threatening a woman and the death of her two dogs.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Sept. 5, 2019, Joseph Isiah Brown, 24, and two other men were wearing bandannas over their faces when they got out of their vehicle at the Jordan Township, Clearfield County, residence.

They walked to the porch of the home where they confronted a female occupant, according to authorities.

James Potts, now 19, pointed a shotgun at the woman and demanded she get down on the ground. She became afraid and released two dogs for her protection.

Potts reportedly shot and killed both dogs.

Early in October 2019, a witness to the incident told police what she had seen and indicated that she was told by the defendants to "keep your mouth shut or we will hurt you and your family."

Brown pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to aggravated cruelty to animals, conspiracy to terroristic threats and conspiracy to reckless endangering another person. He was sentenced by President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman to five months to one year in the county jail and two years' consecutive probation.

Potts pleaded guilty in this case to two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and intimidating a witness in October when he received a 2-year to 20-year state prison sentence for this and several other offenses.

In September 2020, the third man involved, William Cochran, 35, was sentenced to 36 months to eight years in state prison for this and several additional cases.

Starting at /week.