Roldan found guilty of animal abuse

Jason Futch reporter2@riverbendnews.org It took the six-person jury 22 minutes to return to the courtroom with a verdict, finding 45-year-old Eric Ivan Roldan guilty of aggravated animal abuse. As Deputy Clerk Trudy Meeks read the verdict, supporters of Sweetpea, the dog at the center of the case, quietly rose to their feet in a restrained show of relief. Moments later, Sweetpea’s caretaker, Krystal Detty of Livin’ Like Larry Farm Sanctuary, shared an emotional embrace with key witness Jenny Mays. The trial, held at the Suwannee County Courthouse, concluded months of anticipation following the case’s viral spread in March of last year, when Sweetpea’s severe injuries drew wid