2 area men accused of torturing and killing a cat indicted for federal violations
Published 4:40 pm Thursday, September 29, 2022
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BEAUMONT — Two Beaumont men, one arrested in Port Arthur, have been indicted for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas.
U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston said Decorius Mire, 23, and Donaldvan Williams, 28, were named in an indictment Sept.7 returned by a federal grand jury, charging them with animal crushing and aiding and abetting.
Mire made his initial appearance Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn.
Williams did the same last week.
Animal crushing is defined under federal criminal law as, “actual conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians, is purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury.”
If convicted, Mire and Williams face up to seven years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Beaumont Police Special Assignment Unit, along with the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, arrested Decorius Mire in Port Arthur on Wednesday.
Beaumont Police Department received a Crime Stopper’s tip Oct. 15, 2021, with a video that showed subjects torturing and killing a cat by setting it on fire, giving it narcotics and kicking it, authorities said.
Special Investigators assigned to the Beaumont Police Special Assignment Unit were able to identify suspects.
With the assistance of the FBI, as well as the United States Attorney’s Office, two suspects — Donaldvan Williams, 28, and Mire, 23, each of Beaumont — were indicted federally.
On Sept. 20, Williams was arrested for his outstanding warrant.
Officers announced the next day they were still searching for Mire.