New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 29, 2024

Fallout from animal cruelty cases conclude in Charles City

By Andre Jones | June 4, 2017 3:58 pm

Three individuals who were indicted in relation to animal cruelty charges in Charles City have each received a resolution relating to several charges.

Edward C. Peterson and Allura Peterson, both formerly of the 9500 block of Sturgeon Point Road, Charles City, entered a plea agreement to an amended charge of obstruction of justice. Nineteen charges of animal cruelty were dropped as part of the deal. The third defendant, Carrie Washington of the 1100 block of Riverside Drive, Lanexa, had all charges dropped in her case.

The three defendants along with a fourth defendant, Rhiannon Renee Vitiello, were indicted on May 3, 2016 where they allegedly did not take care of horses on the farm on Sturgeon Point Road. Vitiello had a three-day jury trial from Apr. 3-5, with the jury rendering 13 guilty charges on animal cruelty. Two weeks later, she was sentenced to 18 months in jail on the charges with an additional six months for a probation violation.

During Vitiello’s trial, Washington testified that she had horses at the farm but didn’t know anything about the seizure until after it occurred. Washington also said she was approached by Vitiello and Allura Peterson and was presented a plan to attempt to get her horses back during a civil hearing. Washington added that she attempted to claim animals that were not hers on behalf of the co-defendants. Allura Peterson’s actions during the attempt to reclaim the horses at the hearing led to the amended charge and the plea agreement. Edward Peterson’s plea deal came as a result of him legally owning the property that the horses were on at the time of the seizure. Neither Peterson had any direct involvement with caring for the horses according to testimony at Vitiello’s trial.

Edward Peterson entered the guilty plea to the amended charge during an Apr. 6 trial. However, no formal finding will be made until May 1, 2018 as he is attempting to pay $7,500 in restitution as part of the agreement.

Allura Peterson accepted her plea deal to the obstruction of justice charge on June 1. Under the agreement, she received a 12-month sentence with all time suspended but will remain on probation for five years.