A Dallas County jury has found 73-year-old James Freeman guilty of Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals – Kill/Poison/Serious Bodily Injury and sentenced him to two years in prison.
The case stemmed from an April 4, 2024 investigation by the Dallas Police Department, when officers from the Auto Theft Unit discovered several neglected animals while executing a search warrant for an unrelated chop shop on Hull Avenue.
Investigating Officer Tamez reported finding nine dogs on the property, seven of them chained to fixed objects, as well as a loose horse. One dog, a large black mixed-breed, was discovered lying motionless under a pallet, surrounded by flies and struggling to breathe. Despite attempts to help, the dog died before Freeman arrived.
Officers noted the dog was malnourished, flea-infested, and dehydrated, with only stagnant green water nearby. A necropsy later revealed a severe heartworm infestation that had caused fatal damage to the dog’s heart and lungs.
Freeman admitted the dog had stopped eating two days before its death and surrendered the animal to Dallas Animal Services.
The prosecution team included Lead Prosecutor Jessica Trevizo, Second Chair Clint Stiffler, DA Investigator Steve Wilson, and Victim Advocate Maggie Negrete.
The jury found Freeman guilty, and he was sentenced to two years in state prison.
