MODESTO, Calif. — Deputies with the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department Thursday arrested one man after a search warrant was served. The man is now in jail, facing 150 counts of animal cruelty, and 150 dogs are now in the custody of the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency.
On April 30, a domestic violence report was made to deputies regarding a woman who reported being severely beaten by who authorities describe as her significant other.
According to Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Luke Schwartz, the victim was injured with a heavy-duty ashtray, burned by a butane torch, and had a shock collar put around her neck.
"It was a horrible instance of domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon," Schwartz said. "We've been working this investigation for quite some time, and it culminated in a service of a couple of search warrants."
On Thursday, deputies arrested Nicholas Baugh, 38, at his mother's Modesto home in connection to the domestic violence report.
Following the arrest, deputies returned to the home in the 500 block of Roselawn Avenue in Modesto, where the domestic violence report was made. With a search warrant, deputies entered the home and found 150 dogs living in what authorities describe as a puppy mill environment.
"They were in deplorable conditions," Schwartz said. "It's something that doesn't happen all that often, but again, it's a sign of the times that animal. cruelty cases do take place."
Deputies called in crews with the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency who took custody of the dogs and will assess their medical condition.
"Their health is still being ascertained, but obviously animal control is working with veterinary services and will get them the help they need," Schwartz said, adding that some of the dogs are suffering from, "various types of medical conditions."
Those with information on the domestic violence or animal cruelty cases are asked to call the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department at 209-552-2468 or reach out to CrimeStoppers.
According to Sergeant Schwartz, if Baugh decides to regain possession of the dogs at some point in the future, he would have to go through a hearing process in court.
"We are glad that this person was held to account and taken into custody safely," Sergeant Schwartz said. "We will closely monitor the outcome of these criminal proceedings as they move through the court systems."
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