Yet another disturbing case reveals the strong link between animal cruelty and crimes against humans.
A former police officer in Bossier City, Louisiana was arrested for possession of child pornography while out on bail for multiple acts of sexual abuse against a dog.
On April 12, Terry Yetman was booked into the Bossier Parish Jail on 31 counts of child pornography. Yetman had previously been arrested on December 20 of last year on 20 felony counts of bestiality and 24 counts of filming the sick acts with a retired police dog.
“Yetman’s second arrest for sickening abuse of the vulnerable should come as no shock to anyone involved in law enforcement or animal protection,” stated Doll Stanley, campaign director for In Defense of Animals. “Yetman’s case is a classic example of how animal abusers are a threat to the entire community. Statistics bear out the indisputable fact that acts of animal cruelty and violence to fellow humans are linked.”
An investigation was launched in August 2018 by the Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit into the alleged animal abuse, during which electronic evidence of Yetman’s abuse against a Belgian Malinois was uncovered.
The day before Yetman’s arrest for child pornography, In Defense of Animals delivered a petition containing 20,000 signatures to Bossier District Attorney Schuyler Marvin calling for the rigorous prosecution and sentencing of Yetman for these crimes. The organization is also calling for animal protection training among law enforcement agencies throughout the country.
It is unclear whether Yetman was charged under state or federal child pornography laws. He faces a possible life sentence in prison for his animal abuse charges.
Yetman’s bail is currently set at $620,000 and additional charges could be filed. He is currently being held at Bossier Maximum Security Facility, and his next bond hearing is set for April 23.
