EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ill., (WTWO/WAWV) – A woman has been sentenced to up to 3 years behind bars following her guilty plea in Effingham County Court to charges related to lighting a guinea pig on fire and filming its death.
Jasmine A. Meyer was arrested and charged with aggravated cruelty, a class 4 felony, on February 8 of this year after a video of her abusing an animal circulated online.
According to a release from the Effingham County State Attorney’s Office, Meyer, intentionally harmed the animal. The release states that “it was alleged that Meyer intentionally burned and caused the death of a guinea pig.”
In August, Meyer entered a plea of guilty to the charge. Meyers was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections along with a concurrent 3-year sentence on two other charges of attempted aggravated battery to a peace officer, and aggravated battery to a correctional officer.
“My office would like to thank Officer Ashley Ruholl of the Altamont Police Department and Effingham County Animal Control for working so quickly and diligently in building the evidence in this case, as well as Officers Trey Dasenbrock and Zach Bloemker with the Effingham Police Department for providing valuable testimony at the sentencing hearing,” said Aaron C. Jones, Effingham County State’s Attorney.
The previous coverage of this incident can be read here.
