HONESDALE, PA—Zackariah Sheatler and Morgana McGee, of Lake Ariel PA and Carbondale PA  have been charged with a variety of counts of Cruelty to Animals and Neglect of  Animals stemming from a report on July 29, 2023. Bail was set at $50,000.00 for each Defendant. Each Defendant is scheduled to appear at central court on August  9, 2023. A copy of the complaints is provided herein for further information.  

On July 28, 2023, at approximately 5:45 p.m., the Humane Society Police Officer received a call about dogs roaming around a camper in Hamlin. The caller stated approximately 10 dogs and other animals with skin and bones and the trailer smelled like death.  

The Humane Officer and PSP troopers found dogs running free at the site. The living conditions were deplorable. The animals were severely malnourished.  There were other decomposing animals, including dogs. Sheatler admitted to killing a dog by strangulation and admitted to killing other dogs in Carbondale.  The Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office agreed to transfer jurisdiction for prosecution to Wayne County.  

*The filing of criminal charges is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Commonwealth against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the Commonwealth has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant enters a guilty plea to the charges.*