A woman who admitted to her involvement in the torture and death of three dogs will not face felony charges, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has decided.
In a Jan. 9 letter addressed to the animal rescue Paws Fur the Cause, Deputy County Attorney Thomas Rinehart wrote that there was not a “reasonable likelihood” that the woman could be convicted of a felony. Rinehart then said his office is referring the case to Mesa City Court for possible misdemeanors.
Mesa police arrested 42-year-old Brook Scalero in November after her roommate discovered her journal describing the abuse and deaths of multiple dogs in “torturous detail.”
More:Roommate discovers journal depicting abuse of multiple dogs in Mesa, including their own
Scalero admitted to taking a Maltese mix named Pepe from the rescue Paws Fur the Cause without paying but initially said the stories in her journal were just creative writing. In a second police interview, she admitted that she was involved with hurting dogs.
Scalero was booked on two counts of cruelty to animals, one count of domestic violence cruelty to animals and one count of theft.
Abusing animals is a felony crime in Arizona.
Ally Zacovic, a trainer with Paws Fur the Cause, said she has been trying to reach the county prosecutor’s office for days. The letter offered a phone number to call to confer with the office before a final decision is made by Jan. 24.
“They have mounds of not only actual physical, tangible prosecutable evidence but mounds of supporting evidence,” she said. “We’re just sick and tired of being told that our animals don’t matter that they’re basically just a disposable commodity and you can do whatever you want with them.”
A Maricopa County Attorney spokesperson told the Republic that “this case was turned down due to no likelihood of conviction as there was insufficient evidence beyond the defendant’s own statements.”
When asked which charges the county attorney thought were not prosecutable, the spokesperson said to contact the Mesa Police Department.
The Arizona Republic has requested Mesa police records.
Reach Caitlin McGlade at caitlin.mcglade@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on BlueSky, @caitmcglade.bsky.social.
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