ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - A former Baltimore police officer who pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty for killing his girlfriend's puppy will spend a year in jail.

Alec Eugene Taylor of Silver Spring was sentenced Wednesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court. State sentencing guidelines had suggested a range of no jail time to three months.

Taylor pleaded guilty in late August for beating his girlfriend's 7-month-old Jack Russell terrier Rocko with a mop on Feb. 26 and texting her a photo of the dead dog.

His lawyer had said the 5-year-old veteran of the department was under a lot of pressure and took his frustrations out on the dog.

read full article at source: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/10/alec-eugene-taylor-former-baltimore-police-officer-charged-with-beating-and-choking-a-puppy-to-death.html