Charges upgraded against man after sheriff’s office receives calls of man dragging dog by a leash

(KBSI) – A Paducah man now faces two felonies after McCracken County sheriff’s deputies found a dead dog hidden behind appliances in an apartment building.

After receiving further evidence from the necropsy, Latavious Frazier’s, 21, original misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals was amended to a Class “D” felony torture of a dog. Frazier is now charged with two felonies, tampering with physical evidence and torture of a dog.

He previously faced a charge of animal cruelty 2nd degree after McCracken County sheriff’s deputies found a dead dog hidden behind appliances in an apartment building.

Law enforcement received about six phone calls in the previous weeks regarding a man dragging a dog by a leash and grabbing her by her scruff, causing her to cry.

It was also alleged that the man was kicking the dog.

Law enforcement had been unable to find the man after receiving the calls even though they spent considerable time searching, according to the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office.

On January 25 at around 2 p.m., two city of Paducah employees saw a man on South 31st Street in Paducah, later identified as Frazier, dragging the dog, according to the sheriff’s office. The dog did not appear to be moving.

When the employees tried to stop Frazier, he lifted the dog by the leash and then continued to drag to the dog, according to the sheriff’s office.

The city employees called Paducah 911. Paducah Police, McCracken County Animal Control and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area.

Animal Control found Frazier inside an apartment building on Jefferson Street and spoke with him while Paducah Police found the dog hidden behind appliances.

When they discovered the dog, she was dead.

Frazier was squatting in the basement of the apartment building, according to the sheriff’s office.

He was arrested and taken to the McCracken County Jail.