Man accused in "Puppy Doe" abuse case sentenced for theft

DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) - A man who still faces charges in an animal cruelty case has been sentenced to three to five years in prison for stealing $130,000 from an elderly woman he was caring for.

Thirty-four-year-old Radoslaw Czerkawski was sentenced Tuesday. The judge told Czerkawski his case was an "egregious" breach of trust.

Prosecutors said 95-year-old Janina Stock's family hired Czerkawski as her caregiver in 2013 partly because they shared Polish heritage and language.

Prosecutors said Czerkawski stole her assets at the end of her life.

Czerkawski's attorney said Stock wanted his client to have the money.

Czerkawski has denied separate charges he tortured a year-old pit bull found abandoned near Stock's home the day she died of natural causes in August 2013. The dog, nicknamed "Puppy Doe" by police, had to be euthanized.

Cox Media Group