monalisa
02-08-2007, 03:33 AM
Motherfucker!
The police chief of West Concord is accused of shooting cats throughout the small town because he thought it was fun.
Robert Utech was charged Wednesday with one felony count of mistreating animals and one gross misdemeanor count of misconduct of a public official.
Utech has been West Concord's police chief for 13 months. The town is located just west of Rochester.
One West Concord resident, George Layman, says he found seven cats that had been shot over the course of last year, according to the criminal complaint. Four cats died, three were injured. He says he kept reporting the shootings to Utech, but nothing was done.
Eventually, Layman contacted the city's former police chief, who reported the information to the Dodge County Sheriff, sparking an investigation.
Utech told at least three different people he liked shooting cats with his .22-caliber rifle, the complaint says. He allegedly told one person, "There isn't much to do in this town, so I do it."
Another person once asked him why, and Utech allegedly said, "Because I hate them."
Dodge County Sheriff Gary Thompson requested help from the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office, to avoid a potential conflict of interest.
"Some of the information that came out of the investigatrion was disturbing to say the least," Thompson says.
One witness says Utech used a night scope and would bait the animals with cat food, the complaint says.
Witnesses says Utech showed them the spot near a grain elevator where he dumped some of the cats.
Utech made a brief court appearance Wednesday afternoon.
He has been on paid administrative leave since January 30, which is when investigators executed a search warrant on his home, office and vehicles.
The police chief of West Concord is accused of shooting cats throughout the small town because he thought it was fun.
Robert Utech was charged Wednesday with one felony count of mistreating animals and one gross misdemeanor count of misconduct of a public official.
Utech has been West Concord's police chief for 13 months. The town is located just west of Rochester.
One West Concord resident, George Layman, says he found seven cats that had been shot over the course of last year, according to the criminal complaint. Four cats died, three were injured. He says he kept reporting the shootings to Utech, but nothing was done.
Eventually, Layman contacted the city's former police chief, who reported the information to the Dodge County Sheriff, sparking an investigation.
Utech told at least three different people he liked shooting cats with his .22-caliber rifle, the complaint says. He allegedly told one person, "There isn't much to do in this town, so I do it."
Another person once asked him why, and Utech allegedly said, "Because I hate them."
Dodge County Sheriff Gary Thompson requested help from the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office, to avoid a potential conflict of interest.
"Some of the information that came out of the investigatrion was disturbing to say the least," Thompson says.
One witness says Utech used a night scope and would bait the animals with cat food, the complaint says.
Witnesses says Utech showed them the spot near a grain elevator where he dumped some of the cats.
Utech made a brief court appearance Wednesday afternoon.
He has been on paid administrative leave since January 30, which is when investigators executed a search warrant on his home, office and vehicles.