WEST CHESTER, PA — The Chester County District Attorney’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police announced the arrest of three people for allegedly kicking, stomping, and beating live turkeys at farms located in West Sadsbury and West Fallowfield Townships in Chester County. The defendants include:
- Joseph Nunez Rosario, 41, of York, PA, is charged with five counts of cruelty to animals.
- Christopher McCardle, 37, of Gettysburg, PA, is charged with three counts of cruelty to animals.
- Mitchell Buckley, 23, of Aspers, PA, is charged with seven counts of cruelty to animals.
“Animal abuse is inhumane and cruel and will not be tolerated by my office or any law enforcement in Pennsylvania,” said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan. “We thank the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for their advocacy in bringing this information to the attention of PSP’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. This was a lengthy and involved investigation that spanned multiple counties and multiple defendants. We are grateful for PSP’s dedicated efforts in bringing all the defendants to justice.”
According to documents filed in this case:
On August 4, 2021, Pennsylvania State Police received information from PETA about the inhumane treatment of turkeys by employees of Plainville Farms or a temp agency that provided workers to Plainville Farms. The workers were hired to catch turkeys that were loaded onto trucks and transported to a slaughter facility.
Investigators learned that employees – known as “turkey catchers” – were trained on the proper handling of turkeys. The investigation showed turkey catchers kicked the birds, which placed them in imminent danger of being harmed.
Eight other people are charged with animal cruelty in Perry, Franklin, Cumberland, Fulton, and Union counties.
Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan credited the Pennsylvania State Police with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant District Attorney Justin Roberts.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations. Information is subject to change at any time. Information, a criminal complaint, or an arrest is not a declaration of guilt. A suspect, arrestee, or defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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