BENTONVILLE -- A Louisiana man was ordered not to have contact with any animals after admitting to hitting his best friend -- his dog.
Jacob Roberts, 31, of Farmerville, La., pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of possession of firearms by certain persons and cruelty to animals. The plea was under an agreement Jay Saxton, Roberts' attorney, reached with Tyler Dunn, deputy prosecutor.
Roberts was arrested Jan. 1.
Rogers police received a call concerning a man beating his dog in a parking spot at the Walmart Supercenter on Walnut Street, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Police made a traffic stop and Roberts admitted to throwing his dog into the car, according to the affidavit.
Roberts was later overheard by a deputy at the Benton County Jail saying, "I shouldn't have spanked my dog like that, he didn't deserve it, he's so sweet," according to the affidavit.
Roberts told Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green he had spanked his dog.
The judge told Roberts he shouldn't plead guilty to the cruelty charge if he's not guilty of the crime.
Roberts described his actions toward his dog as unjust and said he hit his dog pretty hard. He said he felt worse about the cruelty charge than he did about the weapon charges.
"That's what kills me," he said. "My dog was my best friend."
The plea agreement called for Roberts not to have any contact with his dog, but Green didn't believe that was enough. She would only accept the agreement if it required Roberts not to have contact with any animals. Roberts agreed to the condition.
The judge accepted the plea agreement and Roberts' guilty plea.
Roberts was placed on six years of state supervised probation. He was ordered to serve 106 days in the Benton County Jail but given credit for the 106 days he'd already served in jail.
Roberts also was ordered to complete an anger management program.
Jacob Roberts