MIAMI COUNTY — There are new developments in the case of the animal sanctuary director accused of neglecting her own cats.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30 p.m., Sophia Kartsonis, the Director of Our Farm Sanctuary, appeared in Miami County Court for the first time in over a month, and this time several former volunteers gathered in the courtroom to see how the case would play out.
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Kartsonis faces six counts of animal neglect, she originally pleaded not guilty on July 25th.
News Center 7 previously reported in July about Miami County Animal Control performing a search warrant on Our Farm Sanctuary.
They took 43 cats from the property because of their housing conditions. Six of those cats were Kartsonis’ personal pets. She is charged with neglecting her own six cats.
Monday, Kartsonis changed her plea from ‘Not Guilty’ to ‘No Contest’, meaning she will accept conviction without pleading guilty.
News Center 7′s Mason Fletcher watched as several former Sanctuary volunteers reacted as they heard the conditions the cats they once cared for were kept in.
Several former volunteers previously told News Center 7 they saw these conditions firsthand, but due to a court order placed on everyone in the case, they were unable to talk about it today.
After hearing of the conditions of the sanctuary, the judge made his decision. He ruled Kartsonis guilty of all six misdemeanors.
Kartsonis could be forced to pay $4500 and spend 540 days in jail. The Judge also mentioned taking away her right to have a pet.
Kartsonis is due back in Miami County Court in October when she’ll learn her formal punishment.
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