April McLaughlin, a Chandler woman who was arrested and faces charges accusing her of neglecting 55 dogs, was indicted on fraud charges on Monday, a year after police originally seized the dogs.
The investigation, led by the Chandler Police Department, revealed that McLaughlin allegedly used her nonprofit, an organization for special needs dogs, to solicit over $47,000 in cash and supplies under false pretenses. Detectives also alleged that she had stolen more than $160,000 from her elderly mother and racked up over $20,000 in charges on her mother’s credit card. According to authorities, the funds were reportedly used for personal expenses, like home costs, flights and dining.
“We have always been working on this case, months and months of work, to bring forward these charges and justice for victims,” said Rachel Mitchell, the Maricopa County Attorney.
McLaughlin is accused of deceiving dog owners and rescue groups nationwide to acquire animals needing specialized care, according to police. She allegedly misrepresented the availability of veterinary services, therapies and foster homes for the dogs.
McLaughlin was indicted on seven felonies related to fraudulent activity:
- Fraudulent schemes
- Theft (two counts)
- Aggravated identity theft
- Willful concealment of fraudulent schemes
- Theft from a vulnerable adult
- Unlawful use of a power of attorney
- Theft of credit card or obtaining a credit card by fraudulent means
McLaughlin was also indicted on 24 other charges and 77 misdemeanors related to neglect of 55 dogs.
“Initially, we were able to make the animal abuse charges more quickly, and so we went on those,” Mitchell said. “That gave police additional time to secure the records that they needed … to bring forth this case.”
Though some charges have the potential for probation or jail time, Mitchell said the county is “absolutely” pursuing prison time as an outcome because of the “totality of the circumstances.”
After multiple complaints of alleged animal abuse, Chandler police got a search warrant in September 2023 for McLaughlin’s home where she ran the organization. Police and the Arizona Humane Society seized more than 50 special needs animals, many of which required medical attention.
During the search, officers noted that many of the dogs did not have access to water and the home was covered with urine and feces. They also found five dead dogs in a freezer.
The Arizona Humane Society took custody of the dogs, and the last dog was reunited with her former rescue group in January, according to an email from the Humane Society, after the court dismissed McLaughlin’s appeal to have some of the dogs returned to her.
“Our organization occasionally receives updates on the wellbeing of some of the dogs, which always warms our staffs’ hearts and provides a reminder of the need to continue in our mission to advocate for the voiceless,” said Jennifer Armbruster, a spokesperson for the Humane Society.
McLaughlin, who also goes by Sydney McKinley, will remain in custody as the legal proceedings continue.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
