Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon announced today that the 34-year-old Bronx man who set fire to his dead dog after having left the animal at home alone with insufficient food and water for nearly two weeks has received the maximum sentence.

Christopher Maxwell, 34, was sentenced by the Honorable William Little Thursday to serve an indeterminate 16 months to four years in state prison. In addition, Judge Little signed an order prohibiting Maxwell from owning or residing with any animals for 50 years.

Maxwell pleaded guilty to a six-count indictment on Sept. 18 charging him with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (an E felony), Overdriving, Torturing, Injuring and Not Feeding an Animal, Arson in the Fifth Degree, Criminal Mischief with Intent to Damage Property, and two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence.

Albany Police were alerted on Feb. 24 concerning a 1-year-old mixed breed pit bull inside a crate in a parking lot near Fourth Avenue and Franklin Street. The crate had been set on fire overnight, and Maxwell was captured by surveillance camera dragging the crate to the lot.

Information gathered during the investigation led Albany Police and the District Attorney’s Office to believe that the animal had died prior to being lit on fire.

Maxwell’s girlfriend, Latisha Ellis, 33, pleaded guilty on June 6 to a felony violation of Agriculture & Markets Law – Aggravated Cruelty to Animals – and was sentenced on Sept. 26 to serve five years of probation. She also cannot own or reside with animals for 50 years as part of the sentence.

The Albany District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Albany Police, Cornell University, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society and members of the ACDA Animal Cruelty Task Force for their work on this case and steadfast dedication to investigating and solving all animal abuse cases.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Hannah Merges.