Washington County Controller April Sloane, who is shown being sworn-in to office in January 2022, pleaded guilty Thursday to felony animal cruelty and must resign office by Sept. 30.
Washington County Controller April Sloane pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty in the starvation death of her pet dog last year and must resign from office at the end of the month, although she will avoid any jail time as part of the plea deal.
Sloane appeared Thursday morning before Judge John DiSalle in Washington County Court of Common Pleas and acknowledged causing the death of her dog, Thor, after failing to give him food or water for several days before he died Nov. 27.
Sloane, 43, had been set to go to trial next week in the case, but her defense attorney, Louis Emmi, approached District Attorney Jason Walsh and First Assistant District Attorney Leslie Mylan with a plea offer before Thursday’s pre-trial conference. The two sides negotiated adjustments, but the prosecution insisted on Sloane pleading guilty to felony aggravated animal cruelty, which was the top count she was facing after North Strabane police charged her on Dec. 12 one week after investigators discovered the dog’s carcass in a trash bag in the garage of her townhouse.
As part of the plea, Sloane will serve five years on probation and must resign from her position as county controller by Sept. 30. DiSalle accepted the plea and its conditions, and ordered Sloane to immediately report to adult probation for processing.
Sloane shook her head “no” while leaving DiSalle’s courtroom when a reporter asked if she had any comment on her plea. Emmi also declined comment as he walked with his client to adult probation.
Walsh said they were ready to go to trial Tuesday, but the plea still satisfied their pursuit of a felony conviction.
“It makes everyone be able to move forward, including the county,” Walsh said.
While Sloane faced up to seven years in prison and a $50,000 fine if she was convicted on the felony animal cruelty charge, Walsh noted she might not have faced any jail time due to not having a prior criminal record.
“Obviously, this was a horrible case, but this is what the law prescribes (with sentencing) for the third-degree felony, which was the top charge,” he said.
Sloane held her hands behind her back while standing before DiSalle acknowledging her role in the dog’s death.
“And you are taking responsibility for that, for what is (alleged) in the affidavit of probable cause?” DiSalle asked as he walked her through the plea.
“Yes,” Sloane responded.
Mylan said it was Sloane’s attorney who brought forward the agreement to resign from the county row office as part of the plea. It could take months for the state Senate to impeach Sloane and remove her from office even if she had been convicted.
“The idea that she is going to resign is something she and her attorney proffered to the district attorney’s office,” Mylan said.
DiSalle then told Sloane that she would be in violation of her probation if she did not resign from office by the end of the month.
“You intend to follow through as part of your plea agreement?” DiSalle asked.
“Yes,” Sloane said.
The Republican took office in January 2022 after winning election two months earlier, and her term was set to expire at the end of 2025. That means the deputy controller will have to serve in an interim role leading the row office, which is the financial watchdog of the county government’s finances and various departments.
Sloane was free on unsecured bond after she was charged in December. However, she spent several hours in the Allegheny County Jail on July 10 when DiSalle revoked her bond after it was revealed she was living with an animal in her apartment, although she was able to quickly post the $150,000 cash bond the judge set and has been free while awaiting trial.
While both Walsh and Mylan acknowledged that the public might be upset that Sloane is not facing jail time, they said the plea to the felony charge was the most important component. Mylan told DiSalle that North Strabane police and the Washington Area Humane Society, where Sloane had adopted Thor from in 2021, “are all in agreement with the plea,” which also means she cannot have any contact with pets during her probation, except for a therapy cat owned by her father-in-law.
After the plea, Washington Area Humane Society Kelly Proudfit said the felony conviction was important for the organization.
“We’re happy that there was some justice served in this case,” Proudfit said in a phone interview. “It’s unfortunate the dog was adopted from the humane society and the horrible ending this dog faced. It’s horrific and sad, and we’re all sick about it. But we’re glad there is justice with the felony charge.”
She added that there are many other animal abuse cases that occur in the county, and the humane society works to bring justice for those animals as well.
“We charge all individuals – to the fullest extent of the law – who abuse, neglect and abandon animals in Washington County,” she said of the organization’s humane officer that has charging powers.