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Barrineau Park Man Sentenced On Animal Cruelty Charges
July 22, 2013
A Barrineau Park man who was convicted on animal cruelty charges has been sentenced to probation and 90 days in jail.
Roger Legrande Kervin, 67, was originally charged with 88 animal abuse related charges. He was convicted on four animal abuse counts. Judge Terry Terrell sentenced Kervin two years community control to be followed by three years probation. He was also ordered to serve 90 days in jail within the first two years of supervision, with credit for 36 days previously served. He is also not allowed to posses any animal.
Kervin faced a maximum of 12 years in prison.
Kervin was arrested in February 2012, three days after the first of 90 animals were seized from his property on Lawson Lane near Barrineau Park. Many of the animals were euthanized.
Before his arrest, Kervin spoke out in his own defense, saying that he had done nothing wrong. Kervin said he kept his dogs in good shape for wild hog hunting, often using the wild pork to feed people at charity events. During his trial Thursday, Kervin continued to maintain that he kept dogs on his property for hunting wild hogs.
This was not the first time Kervin had faced animal abuse charges. According to court records, he was sentenced to probation in 1992 for using animals to bait or fight other animals.
Editor’s note: The following information, from the State Attorney’s Office arrest warrant affidavit, is graphic and may be disturbing to some readers. It details the original allegations against Kervin at the time of his arrest. Dozens of the charges against Kervin were dropped or dismissed prior to his trial.
Escambia County Animal Control seized 20 dogs on Tuesday, February 14, 2012. According to an affidavit, several of the dogs were emaciated while some displayed open sores and infections. Some of the dogs were aggressive and had puncture wounds and scarring. One of the dogs was in a seizure and was in need of immediate medical attention. Another suffered a ruptured anus.
The pen where the dogs were kept were filled with feces and mud that was several inches deep with limited to no shelter. The dogs had no potable water and no food. Several where tethered with “large” or “heavy” chains. Ten of the 20 dogs –both hounds, bulldogs and mixed breeds — that were seized Tuesday were euthanized.
The affidavit details the condition of each euthanized dog. In addition to being emaciated, one or more of the dogs suffered from conjunctivitis in both eyes, sores, infections, infected toenails and fly sores.
“Several of the dogs had puncture wounds and scarring consistent with fighting,” the arrest warrant states.
In addition to the seized dogs, Escambia County Animal Control found two dead goats, one dead hog and nine skeletal remains. Another 23 dogs on the premises were living in feces-covered pens with non-potable water, no food and limited to no shelter. There were 16 hogs kept in a pen without escape from their slop which contained feces, urine, food and mud. The hogs also had no drinking water and no food. There was, according to the report, a dead hog in the same pen as the live hog. There were 16 goats, five of which were at large on Lawson Lane. Some were malnourished and their pen had no grazing material.
When the State Attorney’s Office, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Animal control returned on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, with a search warrant, 23 dogs, 16 goats, 16 hogs and two piglets were seized. Authorities also seized treadmills and unspecified medications. The animals were in poor living conditions, but authorities noted that conditions had improved from the previous day. Fresh sand and dirt and been placed in all of the pens and shelters to cover the feces and mud. At least one standing pen had been washed out with a hose to remove feces from the bottom.
Pictured above and below: Roger Kervin’s property on Lawson Lane at the time numerous animals were seized. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
18 Responses to “Barrineau Park Man Sentenced On Animal Cruelty Charges”
The bible teaches taking care of animals. It also teaches not to be a busy body. It was not anyone’s business but the man who owned the animals to start with, i am sure he would agree that he will answer to God. People have forgotten that this is America where we are supposed to have freedom and a right to privacy. But no, lets destroy that so that the government can tell us exactly how to live how much to feed our animals and that it isn’t ok for a “hog” to live in slop.These animals belonged to this man. It isn’t my business or any one else’s. I am sure that we will all answer to God for things we have done but until it interferes with someone else’s freedom those things should stay just that (between the individual and God).
I worked at Escambia Grain nearly 20 years ago and Mr Kervin came many times to buy corn for his hogs. When people had a wild one in their yard he would take his dogs and go catch it, take it home and fatten it out to butcher. I know he fed them much better than they got in the wild. No one fed them or watered them and they could make a real hog wallow as anyone who knows hogs knows is true. He may have gotten in over his head but I know it was not his intention to starve or mistreat an animal. You cant always keep feed in front of some dogs either or they will way over eat and harm themselves. Before condeming someone get educated. Another matter that gets me is people raising all these fighting chickens…in a little coop, alone, and what do they do with them? I am told it is against law to fight them. Then why raise them?
It blows my mind how even in a small town such as pensacola the media loves to spin the news. This man was a great man who donated food for benefits to help people who couldn’t afford medical bills. The money they raised was handed over to help these people. He and his family sponsored children and their families feeding hundreds of people and asked for nothing in return. They worked constantly to help others. Its sad to see his name get tarnished like this.
Escambia County is notoriously light on animal cruelty. See what happens judge? They repeat. and repeat. and repeat. Animals are tortured and killed for no reason other than evil.
I hope Judge Terrell is happy. Now this repeat offender will be out and loose and doing horrid things all over again with this slap on the wrist approach. There was so much evidence produced to make this a FELONY . Our judicial system has failed us again. If this man will do these kinds of things to animals and get away with it ….. look out “people”.
Did the judge not stipulate as a condition of his light sentance — that he is forever banned from owning/caring for another animal? I sure hope so.
Pets need forever homes. Most of us treat pets as a member of the family. Others think they need to save a life but what kind of life is the animal having just stuck in a pen? This guy got in over his head and wouldn’t admit it. I hope they plan to keep an eye on his place and make sure there are no more animals.
I used to have 5 pets, but as they passed on I quit replacing them because I knew I couldn’t afford so many vet bills as they got older and ate my budget.
This man is a repeat offender and shouldn’t have gotten off so lightly. Our judicial system has failed once again. After his probation, he will get more animals. This sentence will make him believe that he really hasn’t done anything wrong and really, in his warped mind, he believes that it is the norm for animals to live this way. His record speaks volumns; he was convicted on charges such as burning to defraud insurer, making a false insurance claim, using animals to fight and baiting animals and possession of marijuana. He is already a convicted felon and yes, these charges are listed as felonies also. What is it going to take for our judges to stop monsters that repeatedly torture and abuse animals? He should never be allowed to own, be a caretaker of or be in the presence of animals for the rest of his life. I have seen judges sentence repeat offenders to not even hunting with their buddies, which would put them around animals (hunting dogs). A lot of work went into this case (our tax dollars). The sheriffs office, animal control and the state attorney’s office poured themselves into this case only to have one judge lightly tap him on the hand. Shame on Judge Terrell. He had the power to sentence up to 12 years. 90 days is a joke.
What isn’t told is how it had been heavily raining for days prior to the raid, on normal days, there was never any mud in the pins, except the hog pen. Dogs were scared from hog hunting, not fighting. Every pin had shade and water, and there was a half pallet of food for the dogs. There was another person who would help with care, but was never mentioned, prob because Roger didn’t wart him to be trumped up too. What you don’t know is that if there is any algae in your dogs water, you too do not have potable water. Three dogs in a pin, three lumps of crap, you too don’t have proper housing. Animal control could come and take just about any pet they wanted, all you need to do is give them time to look for “violations”.
This was animal torture! I hope he will be monitored for life.
So sad. He abused and tortured these poor defenseless pets and animals and all he gets is 90 days? And probation? I know this based on the investigator reports and news reports. Just consider what he did to these poor creatures – he let the suffer from physical pain endlessly, he didn’t fee them. How does anyone who does this sleep at night? Human beings – we are better than this.
My whole point was people always putting someone down and not know what the facts are. We can only go by what we are read.
@familymem-He did a lot of good works in the community. Although I never met himpersonally I have heard of him and the help he provided. That said, you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat childeren and animals. I didnt see the pens so I have to go off the reports. The report said feces and mud several inches thick and no food or potable water. Dead animals of several kinds laying dead. I know for a fact that it takes hard work to care for animals. If he needed help he shoild have asked. If help was unavailable he should have found other homes for those poor suffering animals. As a family member, perhaps you could have helped him out more? In the future, snce the past cannot be changed but only learned from, maybe you can help him to care for his pets properly. If you see him getting into trouble again, you could do something before it gets likes this again.
To all you that want to bash someone look under your own door step. He is a great man. You can’t judge someone by the way some has to live. And I know for a fact that he bought food by the pallets to feed his animals. But of course everyone just wants to see bad in everyone and never any good. I feel sorry for some who has nothing better to do with there life and has to be in someone else’s. So why don’t you keep your opinions to yourself. Its bad enough he has children and grandchildren that has to see this. Really he’s a bad guy how about all the charty events he has helped with but if your family member was need in of help to pay medical bills or treatment. That man would be there to hold a event to help. Wow get a life.
It is sad but this goes on all the time in a society that easily discards animals & anything goes. To bad the animals are the only ones that SUFFER. A slap on the hand is right, dad.
It is way past time we made animal cruelty have a far stiffer penalty. Anyone know what the maximum charge is for something like this? This should be a felony charge with far stiffer penalties! A smack on the wrist and he is out to do it again! WHERE IS THE JUSTICE FOR THE ANIMALS???
A little slap on the hand.
I am very sorry he got off so lightly!! Anyone who has pets or in charge of animals is supposed to provide the basics. FOOD, WATER. and SHELTER. You don’t have to run to the vet. just for a cough, but open sores need cared for. And for all you who say he is a great guy just look at his record!! Yes, I do have pets and yes I did grow up on a farm, so I know a lot of what goes on with different animals. N o I am not judging him, but if he had asked for help he would have most likely gotten it.