Advertisement. Advertise with us

READ SHERIFF’S PRESS RELEASE

PAIR TORTURED

FARM ANIMALS,

POLICE CHARGE

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

Gabrielle Bastian
William DeSimone

COOPERSTOWN – Two Town of New Lisbon residents, William J. Desimone, 43, and Gabrielle Bastian, 52, were charged with torturing and injuring animals and other counts following the seizure of more than 100 animals in a farm near Garrattsville over the weekend.

Sheriff Richard J. Devlin Jr. announced the details a few minutes ago.

Responding to a report Friday evening of a goose caught in an electrified fence, deputies discovered seven dogs living in poor conditions in the house at 166 Backus Road.

“One was locked inside a standard wire dog cage half full of excrement, allowing only enough room for the dog to crouch,” Devlin’s incident report said.  “The door to the side room of the basement could only be pushed open a few inches due to the severe depth of excrement piled on the floor.”

Expanding the search to the 26-acre farmette, deputies found “numerous animals all across the property that were kept and maintained in the same deplorable conditions as the dogs in the basement,” the report said.

Located on the property were 20 pigs, seven donkeys, 13 chickens, three ducks, 25 geese, 13 sheep, seven rabbits, one turkey, one guinea hen, two parakeets, one pigeon, a cat and a tortoise.

DeSimone, who is the property owner of record, and Bastian weren’t home, but deputies contacted them by phone, they returned to the house Friday evening, and were arrested.

According to the release, DeSimone was issued an appearance ticket “due to extenuating circumstances” and Bastian was arraigned in New Lisbon Town Court.

In addition to torturing and injuring animals, the couple were charged with growing and possession of marijuana.  Both are scheduled to appear at 5 p.m. April 25 in the town court.

Authorities secured “Ownership Surrenders” for all the animals, and the Susquehanna Animal Shelter was contacted.

Shelter director Stacie Haynes and multiple other volunteers arrived and assisted with the seizure of nine dogs and one cat.  Dr. Kathy Mahon, and the Leatherstocking Veterinarian Staff, provided outstanding assistance with the check up of all the animals, as well as assisting in finding them homes.

All the animals were relocated to safety by Saturday evening.

 

Posted

8 Comments

  1. Please don’t fall into mob mentality. I know for a fact that this home and farm have always been immaculate. I have know them for years. If you doubt me look at William DeSimone’s FB photos..you will see a beautiful well tended home and farm with healthy happy animals. The electric fence was to protect the animals fro coyotes, not to harm them. He sadly trusted and evil person to look after the farm while he recovered from an illness..could happen to anybody.

  2. There are ALWAYS two sides to a story. And I’m NOT in any way, shape, or form trying to defend ANYone, so pls no nasty comments. MAYBE I am too naive
    or not cynical enough, but who knows the real story? Perhaps someone was supposed to watch farm in their absence, or… js

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Articles

SCOLINOS: It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide

COLUMN VIEW FROM THE GAME It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide Editor’s Note:  Tim Mead, incoming Baseball Hall of Fame president, cited John Scolinos, baseball coach at his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, as a lifelong inspiration, particularly Scolinos’ famous speech “17 Inches.” Chris Sperry, who published sperrybaseballlife.com, heard Scolinos deliver a version in 1996 at the American Baseball Coaches Association in Nashville, and wrote this reminiscence in 1916 in his “Baseball Thoughts” column. By CHRIS SPERRY • from www.sperrybaseballlife.com In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching…

Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told

CLICK HERE FOR MEMO TO SCHOOLS Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told COOPERSTOWN – In a memo released Friday evening, county Public Health Director Heidi Bond advised local school superintendents that sports can resume as early as Monday. “Effective Feb. 1, participants in higher-risk sports may participate in individual or distanced group training and organized no/low-contact group training,” Bond wrote, “…including competitions and tournaments, if permitted by local health authorities.”…

Piper Seamon Scores 1,000th point

1,000 THANKS! Piper Seamon 5th CCS Girl To Hit High Mark The Cooperstown Central student section erupts as Piper Seamon scores her 1,000th career point in the Hawkeyes’ 57-39 win over Waterville at home last evening. Seamon becomes the fifth girl and only the 14th player in school history overall to score 1,000 points.  Inset at right, Pipershares a hug with teammate Meagan Schuermann after the game was stopped to acknowledge her achievement. Seamon will play basketball next year at Hamilton College. (Cheryl Clough/AllOTSEGO.com)  …

Putting the Community Back Into the Newspaper

Now through March 30, new annual subscribers to “The Freeman’s Journal” and AllOtsego.com (or subscribers who have lapsed for two or more years) have an opportunity to help their choice of one of four Otsego County charitable organizations.

$5.00 of your subscription will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice:

Cooperstown Farmers’ Market, Cooperstown Food Pantry, Greater Oneonta Historical Society or Super Heroes Humane Society.