A local couple was arrested for a combined total of 88 counts of cruelty to animals, and acing a combined total of 88 counts of cruelty to animals after a May raid on several of their properties around the county.

Sidney S. Stanton III was charged with 73 counts of second-offense animal cruelty, a Class E felony, while Arvilla Joyce Stanton was charged with 15 counts of the Class A misdemeanor first-offense animal cruelty.

The Stantons were arrested May 31 after a combined investigation by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, McMinnville Police Department, and the 31st Judicial District Attorney’s office. That investigation, which began on May 28, found 17 dogs, 58 horses and 66 head of cattle which were removed from five properties owned by Stanton. The animals were placed in immediate rescue care.

Rather than have their cases go before the grand jury, the Stantons opted to enter pleas by information in mid-November. Appearing before Judge Bart Stanley in Circuit Court, both defendants pleaded guilty to three counts each of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

As a result of their plea agreement, the Stantons agreed to three individual sentences of 11 months and 29 days each on supervised probation, for a total of nearly three years for both Sidney and Arvilla. In addition, neither of the duo can own any animal of any kind for life, and must be registered for at least the next five years on the Tennessee Animal Abuse Registry. They also agreed any of their properties would be subject to search at any time should authorities deem it necessary. They were also required to pay restitution in the amount of several thousand dollars to organizations which took in the animals seized in the raid on their properties.