Reno man accused of killing dogs faces sentencing

A man accused of killing and dismembering at least seven dogs in two local motel and hotel rooms changed his plea to "no contest" Thursday morning in a Reno courtroom.

The plea means there will not be a trial and the case will go straight to sentencing.

In November, Jason Brown had pleaded not guilty to felony charges connected with the torture and deaths of several dogs in at least two Reno motel rooms. A trial was set to begin later this month, but was changed to a sentencing hearing in early October.

He faced seven counts of willfully torturing and killing animals and two counts of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.

Brown was arrested in early July after an employee of a Super 8 Motel in south Reno found dog heads in a small refrigerator, bloodstains, dog limbs, drugs and drug paraphernalia, including hypodermic needles.

Brown claimed he has no memory of that period in which the dogs were killed because of a drug use.

He faces up to four years for each count, which may be served either consecutively or concurrent. He is eligible for probation, which would mean he would need a mental health evaluation. He might also be required to pay a $5,000 fine.

Brown remains in custody for protection against any outside threats, his attorney John Oaks said.

Brown walked into court Thursday morning chained and wearing a bullet proof vest. Oaks said the case has had a lot of interest and has become sensationalized, creating safety concerns.

Oaks declined any further comment on his client's case.

An animal rights advocate said she was surprised to hear that Brown had changed his plea from not guilty to "no contest" – essentially a guilty plea without admitting responsibility.

Sabra Wojtkowiak, an advocate for Nevada Voters For Animals, is a dog owner and has volunteered for 16 years at the Truckee Meadows Chihuahua Rescue.

"Some people say it's just a dog, but it's not just a dog," Wojtkowiak said. "To me, it's more than an animal."

Nevada Voters For Animals is a nonprofit organization based in Las Vegas that leads the fight on animal protection and authored Cooney's Law. The group has been following Brown's case and hopes to see Brown sentenced to the maximum, Wojtkowiak said.

Although the group supports animal rights, they don't condone violence against Brown, Wojtkowiak said.

"We're not about threatening, we're not a vigilante group," she said. "We're the voice for animals."

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