Man sentenced to jail for animal torture

A man who tortured his estranged wife's puppy by hurting it with a leaf blower and burning the animal in a 200-degree oven was sentenced to six months in jail.

Third District Judge William Barrett on Monday also ordered Marc Christopher Vincent, 36, to get a mental health evaluation and follow any treatment and medication recommendations.

"I don't like people who abuse animals," Barrett said. "I don't like people who abuse children. Animals and children are vulnerable."

Vincent had previously pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated animal cruelty, a class A misdemeanor. A second identical charge was dismissed as part of a plea bargain.

Barrett sentenced him to a year in jail, but suspended six months. The judge also ordered 24 months probation, ordered Vincent to stay away from his estranged wife and Henry the dog, as well as any other animals, and ordered a $500 fine and $986 in restitution for veterinary bills.

Vincent's lawyer said her client has no criminal history and immediately after the oven incident, enrolled in a counseling program for individuals with mental disorders.

Vincent told the court he wanted to apologize to the public, his family and his friends, and said he knows what he did was wrong. "I am getting mental health help," he said.

Henry, a Chihuahua mix, lost his left eye due to the leaf blower incident and the five minutes in the oven fused some of the claws on his feet together, but he otherwise seems to be doing well. His owner, Vincent's estranged wife, Rhonda Kamper, brought Henry to court and showed him to the judge.

Kamper said she was afraid to be around Vincent, even in the courtroom. "I do have a protective order against him. Just seeing him here today — my heart just pounds," she said.

Kamper said she questioned the sincerity of his apology since he said he was sorry to everyone except her.

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