A man has been sentenced to two months in jail after he and another man recorded themselves stabbing a raccoon with a sword and hitting it with a hammer in Huntley.
Daniel A. Carey, 19, of Huntley, was charged in July 2022 with two counts of animal torture and disorderly conduct.
A second suspect, Nathan P. Weber, 19, of Lake in the Hills, was charged with animal torture, depiction of animal cruelty and disorderly conduct.
Criminal complaints filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said that Carey and Weber both sent a video to numerous people through social media on June 11, 2022.
Carey was seen torturing a raccoon by stabbing it with a sword, causing it to become impaled, the complaint said.
A grand jury indictment said the weapon was a cutlass-style sword or large knife.
Weber struck the raccoon several times with a garden rake while it was impaled by the sword, a separate complaint said.
Weber pinned the animal to the ground with the rake, causing it to suffer prolonged pain, the complaint said.
Carey then allegedly inflicted “extreme physical pain” by striking the raccoon in the head with a hammer.
He hit the raccoon with the hammer several times, causing the animal to “suffer in agony,” the complaint said.
A grand jury indictment said the raccoon died from its injuries.
Both Carey and Weber were arrested by Huntley police officers a month after the incident and transported to the McHenry County Jail.
Both men were released from custody after posting 10% of their $20,000 bonds.
Court records show Carey entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office on Thursday.
He pleaded guilty to one count of animal cruelty, a Class A misdemeanor, in exchange for his other charges, which included felonies, being dismissed.
McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis approved the plea deal and sentenced Carey to 60 days in the county jail and 240 hours of public service at an animal shelter or similar business.
Carey will be on probation for two years and was ordered to comply with all recommendations of a psychological evaluation he underwent.
In April, Weber pleaded guilty to one count of depiction of animal cruelty, a Class A misdemeanor, in exchange for his other charges being dismissed.
Davis also approved Weber’s plea deal and sentenced him to 10 days in the county jail and 240 hours of public service at an animal shelter or similar business.