A man wanted in a horrific case of animal abuse that saw a relative’s service dog dragged down a Queens street and set on fire this past July has been indicted on a series of criminal charges, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Isaiah Gurley, 29, was arrested several days after authorities alleged he killed a pit bull and burned the body on a public street on South Ozone Park. The dog, Square K, was a family member’s service dog left in his care, prosecutors say.
Surveillance video from July 24 allegedly shows Gurley, of Jamaica, dragging a motionless Square K through the street by its leash before dousing the pup with accelerant and setting it on fire.
A police officer happened upon the charred remains.
A post-mortem examination found the dog was already dead, of blunt force trauma, before it was set on fire. It had been beaten in the head, according to prosecutors.
“As alleged, the defendant was supposed to be caring for a family member’s dog and instead subjected it to unfathomable cruelty as he killed the pit bull and then set it on fire,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. “This dog suffered needlessly, and we have no tolerance for animal abuse in Queens County.”
Gurley faces up to seven years in prison if convicted on the charges, which include aggravated animal cruelty, arson and harming a service animal. Attorney information for him wasn’t immediately available Tuesday.
It wasn’t clear what prompted the alleged dog killing, nor to whom the dog belonged.
He is represented by attorneys with The Legal Aid Society, which typically doesn’t comment on active cases.