Berlin Center woman pleads not guilty to animal-cruelty charges

SEBRING — A Berlin Center woman pleaded not guilty to leaving animals in unacceptable living conditions at her arraignment in Mahoning County Area Court here.

Heather Culver, 21, of 4530 Weaver Road, entered her plea today. She is charged with 28 counts of second-degree prohibitions concerning abandoned animals. The counts are all misdemeanors, but carry maximum sentences of a 90-day jail sentence and $750 in fines for each count.

Humane agents raided her home March 6.

A pretrial conference was set in the case for 11:30 a.m. April 4 in the Sebring court. Culver remains free on a $50,000 recognizance bond.

Outside the courthouse, members of “Nitro’s Ohio Army” rallied to bring attention to Nitro’s Law, an Ohio House bill that would bring the penalty for animal cruelty up to a fifth-degree misdemeanor.

For the complete story, read Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com