ROCKVILLE, Maryland (AP) -- A former Baltimore police officer who pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty for killing his girlfriend's puppy will spend a year in jail.
Alec Eugene Taylor of Silver Spring was sentenced Wednesday. State sentencing guidelines had suggested a range of no jail time to three months.
Taylor pleaded guilty in late August for beating his girlfriend's 7-month-old Jack Russell terrier Rocko with a mop on Feb. 26 and texting her a photo of the dead dog.
His lawyer had said the 5-year-old veteran of the department was under a lot of pressure and took his frustrations out on the dog.
