LANCASTER – A former assistant superintendent at the Palmdale School District has pleaded no contest in an animal cruelty case involving 19 pit bulls that had to be euthanized after they were recovered from her home in 2014.
Pauline Ruth Winbush, 53, and her live-in boyfriend, Kevin Williams, 52, each pleaded no contest Tuesday to one felony count each of possession with intent for dog fighting and animal neglect.
Winbush is facing 270 days in county jail, while Williams is facing a year in jail, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The two will also have to attend animal cruelty classes and will be on five years formal probation. State prison sentences of more than three years were suspended, provided they do not violate the terms of their probation.
Formal sentencing is set for May 5 at the Antelope Valley courthouse.
A third defendant, Rodney Scott, 47, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. He is set to be sentenced next April and will not be allowed to own or possess any animals for a year, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Officers from the county’s Department of Animal Care and Control searched Winbush’s Antelope Acres property in 2014 after a horse belonging to Winbush and Williams was found roaming the streets. Officers discovered dogs being kept inside the home in crates that were filled with feces and urine, according to Deputy District Attorney Lyle Riggs.
Some of the animals showed signs of being used for dog fighting, and the canines had to be euthanized, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Other animals found on the property included a tortoise, snakes and a box full of mice that appeared to be eating each other out of hunger, Riggs said.
At a hearing in which Winbush and Williams were ordered to stand trial, it was revealed that evidence discovered at the property linked Scott to the couple in an operation to breed pit bulls for fighting, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
At the time of the raid, Winbush was an assistant superintendent for the Palmdale School District. The district’s board of trustees voted unanimously last year to terminate her employment agreement.
Previous related stories:
School administrator accused of dogfighting fired
Trial ordered for school administrator charged with dog fighting, animal cruelty, child abuse
PSD administrator charged with dog fighting, animal cruelty, child abuse
Barry Bigtoe says
This looks a lot like she may be more guilty of taking up with a low life that lays around and lives off her income. While she is away at work, he thinks dog fighting, gambling, and likely drugs, is his excuse to not work while contributing to the filth in the house. She walks into a mess, and he’s like “I been busy wit bidness all day”. It would be interesting to hear that she had a high level job AND time to monitor the funny business happening during the day at home.
In the know says
Her boyfriend was a custodian in Palmdale School District. He was NOT living off her income.
Quigley says
In the know, NOT sure where you’re getting your information…the man hasn’t worked for years!
OT says
Anyone else see the irony here? At the house the dogs were alive. A day or two at the Lancaster shelter and they’re ALL dead! They Lancaster shelter. The BIGGEST abusers of Pitt Bulls in the AV!!!
Kitkat says
I love animals and it makes me sad to hear that some people mistreat them.
Quigley says
Orange is the new black…BITCH!
Debbie says
DISGUSTING PIGS!!! I hope someone gets a hold of them and does some major damage to them! They should get the MAXIMUM sentence and should NEVER be allowed to own any animal ever again. Any person that can do such horrific things to animals deserves to be tortured and classified as MONSTERS! DESPICABLE!!! They make me want to puke all over them!
potcallingthekettle says
They deserve to be tortured? so you are saying you would get enjoyment out of another living thing being tortured? What exactly does that make you? our criminal system is supposed to be designed for rehabilitation (not saying that it works..), not revenge.
Eric says
Only in Palmdale…
Tired of People Slamming Palmdale says
Read the article Eric, this did not occur in Palmdale.
Sierra says
Not hardly. That crap goes on all over this country.
billy says
U guys should lock her up for5 years
Karen Nagle says
I sometimes feel they should”serve time” putting animals down at the shelters. That would have to be the most horrific job imaginable, I would think, and then they can see each and every day the sadness and pain of such animals.
Laughing says
Except they enjoy inflicting sadness and pain on innocent animals. For these types of perps it would be a treat.
ANNON says
Shes a douche bag….
Bri says
NOT LONG ENOUGH!!!!!
Bob says
Excellent!
I can only hope she violates parole and has to do the full three years.
PoorPits says
Geovanna, I completely agree. they should never be allowed to own an animal again! And animal abuse classes? i didn’t know they had such a thing! what they should have to do is work off a butt ton of community service hours at the animal shelter and/or pit bull rescue places. turn the tables and make them actually CARE for the animals for a change. I mean its not like she has a job that she needs to be at any longer right? also, any bets on that the 270 days that she pleaded to will be time already served? smh.
Gowchong says
She’s out on bail and has served no time.
SMHX2 says
The irony is that she worked for PSD as the assistant superintendent of human resources. Her sentence is very lean, they should add at least five years of community service in a county dog shelter cleaning feces and urine.
What happened to her son? I remember that social services was involved because he was living in a filthy environment.
Also, I bet she will have access to her teacher/administrator pension in two more years (she is 53). Why would she need to work? As they say, she has it “made in the shade”- absurd!
Former PSD employee says
Actually due to this being a violation of her contract at PSD I believe her pension was null and void due to this.
Gowchong says
As per CALSTRS she will not forfeit her pension. If the crime was committed against children then she would forfeit it. However, it was committed against dogs, so she gets to keep it.
SMHX2 says
That is correct Gowchong, she will keep her pension because the crime was non-work or child endangerment related. Sad!
Geovanna says
These people should not be allowed to own animals EVER again! They all got away too easy! The charges should have been much worse. Animal and child cruelty should not ever be taken lightly. They are the worst kind of crime. The crime of abusing defenseless beings!!