N.J. man gets year in jail for dog's beating death

An Egg Harbor Township man was sentenced Friday to nearly a year in jail in connection with the beating death of a pit bull in January.

Steven Geisel, 50, of the 2000 block of Ocean Heights Avenue, was indicted June 11 on one count of animal cruelty and pleaded guilty to the charge Aug. 19.

Prosecutors said he used a blunt object to "cruelly beat" the female pit bull, named Bella, inflicting traumatic and ultimately fatal neck injuries.

The dog's body was found Jan. 29 in a wooded area behind the Norms-Dale Mobile Home Park.

Animal rights advocates, who created an online petition and Facebook page calling for justice as details of the case emerged, claimed Bella belonged to Geisel's family and that Geisel killed the dog when relatives could no longer care for it.

He was arrested Feb. 12 after a two-week investigation by the Egg Harbor Township Police Department and the Atlantic County SPCA.

In addition to receiving a 364-day jail term, Geisel was ordered to serve two years of probation, to pay restitution to the Atlantic County SPCA for expenses incurred during the investigation and to perform 30 days of community service at the SPCA.