Pa. man sentenced to probation in deer torture case captured in viral video
This whitetail buck hasn't yet lost his antlers. The animal was photographed Thursday in southeast Minnesota, where five deer have been found with chronic wasting disease (CWD).(Photo By Dennis Anderson/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - A young man has pleaded guilty to charges after officials say he and another teen were seen kicking and abusing a deer in a viral video in November last year.
Authorities previously charged Alexander Brock Smith, 18, with two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty and two felony counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated cruelty after the incident in late 2019.
Smith was sentenced to two years of probation, 200 hours of community service and must be available to the game commission to speak at hunting safety courses, schools and youth groups, WJAC reports.
Smith's hunting license was also revoked for 15 years.
The Nov. 30 incident, which occurred near Brookeville, Pennsylvania, was recorded on video that later surfaced on social media, sparking nationwide outrage. (Warning: This link contains footage of a disturbing nature.)
During interviews with Smith and his alleged accomplice, investigators learned the two were hunting together in an enclosed tree stand when the younger of the two boys shot and wounded a buck before missing the follow-up shot.
The deer was immobilized, and the teens sent a Snapchat video which reportedly showed them laughing as they kicked the wounded animal and grabbed it by the antlers.
The other teen, a 17-year-old male, also faced the same charges for his role in the incident. He has yet to be sentenced, but will face charges in a juvenile court.
Both were also been charged with several other misdemeanor and summary counts.