BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WPMI) She cut a deal not to serve jail time for the abuse of several hundred animals back in 2012. The case known the "Purple Hearted Puppies" sent shock waves across the area. The woman in question is Sharon Dueitt. She could now be facing a stiff sentence.
The Baldwin County District Attorney's Office says it has good reason to throw out the deal they made with her if a judge agrees that the terms of Dueitt's agreement with the D.A.'s office has been violated. Dueitt could face up to 10 years in prison.
In order to stay out of jail from the 2012 incident, Dueitt agreed to pay fines and not to own a pet for five years. Recent postings on the social media site Tumblr show a very different picture. Prosecutors who cut the deal say Dueitt is now in clear violation.
The D.A's office was made aware of the pictures and a video, which is now in evidence, but has been taken off any public sites.
"Initially she told us that she was dog sitting for a friend. So we contacted that friend and the friend said no, that dog did not belong to her. Then she showed us a text message where the defendant had texted her asking her to lie to us," said Chief Assistant D.A. Rushing Payne Jr.
In 2012 neighbors in Summerdale and volunteers with the Humane Society couldn't believe what they had walked into. More than a hundred dogs and cats had been left to starve to death. All pets that had been left some by their owners in the care of Sharon Dueitt and her mother Roberta.
So far both women have paid $100,000 in restitution to the Baldwin County Humane Society. That money was used to pay for the care and adoption process for the animals.
"We plan on asking for a split sentence so that we can still have requirements for her after she's released to be able to still keep her from having pets beyond just the term of her prison sentence," said Payne.
A hearing date has been set for November 20.
