TAZEWELL, Va. (WJHL) — A Southwest Virginia man is facing a felony charge related to the death of a dog in Tazewell County.
According to the Tazewell County commonwealth’s attorney’s office, Eric Ryan Rose of Raven, Virginia, has been charged with animal cruelty resulting in death.
The felony warrant was the result of an animal cruelty investigation involving a dog named Charlie.
Last month, the commonwealth’s attorney’s office announced that Rose was charged with a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty that allegedly occurred before the dog died. Upon being notified that a deceased dog had been found and due to “horrific circumstances” depicted in a video recording, the dog was taken to Wytheville for a necropsy and for forensic evidence to be gathered.
The charge was then upgraded to a felony. If convicted, Rose could face up to five years in prison.
Rose is currently being held in Washington County, Tennessee. Jail officials say he was arrested by Johnson City police for being a fugitive from justice.
He will be extradited back to Tazewell County, according to the commonwealth’s attorney’s office.
