Charles City man sentenced to prison for killing kitten

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man has been sentenced to up to two years in prison for killing a kitten, to be served concurrently with sentences for possession of methamphetamine and domestic abuse that both contained instances of probation violations.

According to records filed in Floyd County District Court, Joshua Wayne Finney, age 34, was charged with animal mistreatment causing serious injury or death, an aggravated misdemeanor.

The criminal complaint states that Finney’s family arrived home from a trip and found multiple spots around the house with blood on them and was unable to located their kitten.

“Joshua was contact(ed) and he stated that he took care of the cat,” the report states. “Witness saw Joshua walking with a bag that night and the dead kitten was found the next day. Joshua stated he killed it in self defense.”

Finney was arrested in September and posted bond. He initially pleaded not guilty, but then changed his plea to guilty.

The plea agreement stated that the Floyd County Attorney’s Office would recommend a sentence of 2 years in prison with credit for time served; an $855 fine with 15% surcharge, fully suspended; restitution; substance abuse evaluation and mental health evaluation with follow-through on recommended treatments; anger management class; and a no-contact order with another person.

Earlier this month at the sentencing hearing, District Court Associate Judge Peter Newell followed the sentencing recommendation regarding the prison sentence and suspended fine.

Also as recommended, Newell order the sentence to be served concurrently with a sentence for second offense possession of methamphetamine, an aggravated misdemeanor; and a sentence for domestic abuse second offense, also an aggravated misdemeanor.

Finney is currently incarcerated at the Iowa Medical & Classification Center in Coralville.

In the meth case Finney had pleaded guilty and been sentenced in November 2021 to one year in prison with all but four days suspended and two years probation to the Iowa Department of Correctional Services. Within three months of that sentence, in February,  Finney was reported to be in violation of probation by being charged with the domestic assault charge and violation of a no-contact order, and missing appointments with his probation officer.

As a result of that violation, Finney was order to serve 20 days in jail with credit for 20 days already served and to continue on probation. He was also ordered to complete a 60-day inpatient substance abuse treatment program.

In the February domestic violence charge, Finney pleaded guilty to domestic abuse assault second offense and to violating the no-contact order. He was sentenced in April to 365 days in jail with all but seven days suspended and credit for time served; a suspended fine; completion of a 60-day inpatient substance abuse treatment program; and two years of probation.

In September Finney was again reported to be in violation of his probation for being missing in the Iowa Domestic Abuse Program and missing appointments with his probation officer, and for being charged with the animal abuse charge.