Fort Myers, FL - A man's been sentenced to three years in prison after he was convicted of beating a dog at a Southwest Florida gas station last year.
According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, 23-year-old Marcus Chiddister was captured on video repeatedly punching a dog in the back of a gold Chrysler sedan.
The video was recorded by a witness at a RaceTrac gas station in April 2022 and went viral in May, leading to the arrest of Chiddister on a felony charge of animal cruelty.
The dog was taken to a local animal services clinic where it was found to have suffered significant injuries, including fractures and exposed pulp cavities.
Chiddister admitted to hitting the dog because it ate his food and said it was not the first time he had hit the dog in that way.
In a Facebook post regarding Chiddister’s sentencing, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said, “I will ALWAYS protect those who cannot protect themselves. Punching an animal over and over again with a closed fist is disgusting. My detectives and legal team worked TIRELESSLY alongside our partners at the State Attorney’s Office. I am proud to say their hard work led to the sentencing for this criminal’s abusive actions.”