CL: Ex-Canton official avoids jail time for animal cruelty

Judge fines Alonzo Esco, orders community service

Alonzo Esco

Former Canton animal control officer Alonzo Esco will get no jail time for two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and dumping.

Justice Court Judge Tommy Faulkner ordered Esco on Wednesday afternoon to perform 120 hours of community service with the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol.

Esco has 30 days to pay a $500 fine for each count and $320 in court costs.

Faulkner suspended the 120 days in jail that Esco could have served.

With two defense attorneys, Esco gave no comments and asked no questions during the sentencing. Faulkner accepted a handwritten statement that he expected from Esco 59 days ago.

“Mr. Esco has had a lot on his plate this year and he’s glad to have this chapter behind him,” said Esco’s attorney, Trey O’Cain.

Esco is suspected of shooting more than 100 animals and dumping the carcases in a Canton creek and possibly other sites.

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Ex-Animal Control Officer Pleads Guilty

Former Canton animal control officer Alonzo Esco pleaded guilty today to one count of animal cruelty and one count of illegal dumping in connection with an animal-cruelty case that drew strong condemnation from animal-welfare groups.

The city of Canton fired Esco in January after a Madison County Sheriff's Department investigation turned up nearly 100 dogs that had been shot and dumped in drainage ditches and other locations around Canton. In June, police charged him with four counts of animal cruelty and five counts of illegal dumping, all misdemeanors.

Justice Court Judge Tommy Faulkner talked to attorneys in his chambers for roughly 10 minutes before Esco's hearing. Esco faces up to six months in prison and a $1,000 fine for the animal cruelty count and a fine of between $200 and $400 for the dumping charge. Faulkner postponed Esco's sentencing until Oct. 13.

Esco, wearing a white shirt and a floral-patterned tie, did not speak during the hearing or later outside the courtroom when reporters questioned him.

Giwada Williams, who says that her dog was among those Esco killed, told reporters outside the court that she was not satisfied with Esco's plea.

"Enough is enough," Williams said. "You don't treat animals like they're nothing. Right now, I'm very, very angry."

JFP