Man accused of killing kitten pleads guilty
Robert Heckmann pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals during a plea agreement Thursday morning.
Heckmann, 25, admitted to videotaping himself strangling a 3-month-old kitten. He was arrested Jan. 19 after animal law enforcement officers searched his home and found Loki, a 12-week-old kitten, in a garbage can.
Under the parameters of the plea agreement, Robert Heckmann could face jail time of up to 90 days or the judge could sentence him to two years of work release. He could also be subject to probation for an undetermined amount of time.
As he awaits his sentencing, Heckmann has agreed to undergo a mental health evaluation and an anger management assessment.
The Tenth Judicial District explained why it agreed to the plea deal. “On probation [Heckmann] could be supervised for a much longer time and receive the mental health treatment that we believe he needs than he if were sentenced to the Department of Corrections,” said Karl Kuenhold, a deputy district attorney.
Heckmann will be back in Pueblo District Court on April 21 at 2 p.m. A judge will decide then whether to accept Heckmann’s plea agreement. If it is not accepted, there’s a possibility the case could go before a jury.
