October 2026 – Dennis J. Rutkowski, (62), plead guilty to one count of Attempted Aggravated Cruelty to Animals and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree after Police officers responded to a welfare check and saw an injured dog in the backyard. The defendant is charged with attempting to cause serious physical injury to the animal by shooting the dog in the head with a rifle. The weapon was seized and the defendant was placed under arrest. Rutkowski faces a maximum of 364 days in jail when he is sentenced on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. He remains released under the supervision of the Probation Department. There is a temporary securing order that prohibits Rutkowski from owning, harboring, or having custody or control of any animals while the case is pending prosecution.