Elk Grove Man Faces Up to Six Year Prison Term For Animal Abuse, Arson Conviction

November 22, 2016 |   

An Elk Grove man who was arrested for animal abuse, attempted arson and resisting arrest was convicted by a Sacramento County Superior Court jury today. The defendant, Jesse Tom (pictured above), was also found of guilty of use of a deadly weapon.

On July 8, 2015, Elk Grove Police officers responded to a residence after neighbors reported hearing an animal in distress. When officers arrived at the home, Tom slammed the door on them.

The officers then entered Tom’s backyard, where they found a small dog stuffed into the bottom of a Weber barbeque kettle. Briquettes had been stacked on the dog and cooking oil was poured on its remains. 

It had been determined the dog had also been beaten, stabbed with a broken bottle, and strangled. Tom tried to evade arrest by fleeing on foot, jumping several fences through neighboring yards. 

Inside the residence, a small fire was found to have been ignited on the stove. Tom’s criminal history includes felony reckless evasion of a peace officer, drug possession, and several driving under the influence convictions. 

Tom, who was on both formal probation and parole at the time of the offenses, faces a maximum sentence of 6 years and 8 months in prison. Sentencing is set for January 27, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 40 before the Judge Raoul Thorbourne.