Quartet indicted on animal cruelty charges in Charles City

A quartet of people has been indicted on a combined 85 counts for animal cruelty after the convening of a Charles City grand jury on May 3.

Rhiannon Vitiello, Allura Peterson, and Edward Peterson, all of the 9500 block of Sturgeon Point Road, Charles City, and Carrie Washington of the 1100 block of Riverside Drive, Lanexa, were named in indictments for misdemeanor animal cruelty during proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court.

According to the indictments, during the early months of this year the four individuals were allegedly responsible for taking care of horses on a family farm located in Charles City. Twenty horses were in the care of the defendants when they were discovered malnourished and not being properly taken care of while living on the farm. At least one horse died on the farm.

Vitiello was indicted on 23 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. She was also indicted on one count of felony animal cruelty (being a second offense) and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. Allura Peterson, Edward Peterson, and Washington each received 20 indictments of animal cruelty, one for each horse.

Vitiello was being held on a $15,000 secured bond while Allura Peterson was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond. Edward Peterson and Carrie Washington also received $5,000 unsecured bonds.

In another indictment, a Newport News man faces multiple charges for stealing from a local store.

Larry Taylor received one indictment each of petty larceny (third offense), misdemeanor driving suspended, and misdemeanor driving as a habitual offender.

According to the indictments, on March 6, Taylor drove to Haupt’s Store located on John Tyler Memorial Highway and allegedly stole lottery tickets. He was later located by officers while driving and arrested.