St. Paul man and woman charged in death of drowned dog

ST. PAUL, Nebraska (KSNB) – A St. Paul man is accused of tying a dog's legs together and throwing it into an irrigation canal, causing the dog to drown, court records show.

27-year-old Joshua Balcom is accused of animal cruelty resulting in death.

According to court documents, Balcom tied a black Labrador's legs together with zip ties and then threw it into an irrigation ditch near Cushing. The dog was found drowned about a mile downstream on July 16.

An affidavit states that Balcom and his girlfriend got the dog on July 7. According to the documents, the girlfriend told a deputy that the dog had killed some chickens, so she and Balcom killed the dog.

Balcom is scheduled to appear in court on October 2nd to determine whether he has sufficient probation. He is free on $1,000 bail. If convicted of animal cruelty, he faces up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to court records, Balcom's girlfriend, Sadie Miller, 28, of St. Paul, is charged with animal cruelty. Her sentencing hearing is also scheduled for Oct. 2. The maximum penalty for a conviction on that charge is also two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

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