A man in Tempe, Arizona – Eric Thomas Scionti – has been sentenced to almost four years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Animal Crushing and Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona.
Authorities searched his residence in January 2023 and seized six firearms, along with more than 1,800 rounds of ammunition. In September 2023, they searched his email and seized about 89 photos and 168 videos depicting him tormenting pigeons.
“He appears to have made the recordings so he could enjoy reliving his acts of cruelty at his leisure,” prosecutors stated in a legal document.
A criminal complaint stated that between April 2022 and October 2022, Scionti tortured and took the lives of these sentient beings by using a lighter to burn their eyes, skinning them, and crushing their chests until their organs were expelled, according to USA TODAY.
The complaint further asserts that he affixed pigeons to walls using staples, placed them in boiling water, put hot sauce in their eyes, and stabbed their eyes with metal rods.
Lady Freethinker celebrates this conviction and is glad these animals received some measure of justice. However, we’re sad that the penalties fail to reflect the severity of the abuse inflicted on these innocent pigeons.
LFT will continue to advocate for stronger legal protections for animals and help hold abusers accountable.
