An Indianapolis man was sentenced to jail time and about a year and a half of probation after a video showed him beating a relative’s dog to death.
Michael D. Lukas pleaded guilty in November to a Level 6 Felony charge of torturing and killing an animal.
Johnson County Superior Court 2 Judge Peter Nugent accepted his plea deal which outlines that Lukas was sentenced to 670 days of probation. He was given 117 days of jail credit, according to court documents.
He will serve his probation at a mental treatment facility, said Joe Villanueva, Johnson County prosecutor. He has completed his jail time.
Lukas’ mental health issues, including documentation from medical professionals, came to light over the course of the case, and an extended jail sentence would not have fixed the problem, Villanueva said.
Villanueva and the defense attorney worked to negotiate a sentence that would include supervision the parties were comfortable with and get him the treatment he needs. The victim was supportive of the sentence, he said.
Lukas could face more jail time if he does not abide by the probation requirements, Villanueva said.
A couple told Greenwood police in July that a relative had killed another relative’s dog.
The woman said she found the relative’s dog dead inside the home. The relative questioned Lukas about the dog’s death, and he denied any knowledge of it, according to a Greenwood Police Department report.
Security footage from the home shows Lukas shouting phrases at the dog, including, “I’m going to kill you.” Other things Lukas shouted at the dog were profane and aggressive, the report said.
In the video, Lukas is heard hitting and kicking the dog. The dog can be heard whimpering at some points in the video. After about 12 minutes of beating, Lukas picks up the dog and throws it down.
When police told Lukas they had video footage of him beating the dog, he admitted to kicking and throwing the dog, the report said.
