Two charged with animal cruelty in separate incidents

WARREN — Two Warren residents are facing animal cruelty charges stemming from separate, unrelated incidents.

According to a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, Samantha Koss, 28, of Warren, was allegedly paid to care for a dog that escaped from her home. On May 10, Warren police officers responded to a related animal cruelty complaint after she allegedly attempted to get the dog back inside by “kicking it several times and striking it repeatedly in the face,” the release states.

The dog did not sustain any permanent injuries.

Koss was arraigned by 37th District Court Judge Michael Chupa May 19. She is facing one charge of animal cruelty, a 93-day misdemeanor, and an additional 90-day misdemeanor involving a stray animal. Chupa granted Koss a $5,000 personal bond and ordered her not to have any contact with animals that may be considered pets.

Koss is scheduled for a pretrial conference at 9 a.m. June 23 in front of Chupa.

In a statement, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said animal cruelty will not be tolerated.

“The alleged conduct in this case is disturbing, and my office is committed to holding offenders accountable when animals are abused or neglected,” he said.

In a separate incident, on May 17, James Vigneau, 42, of Warren, was allegedly asked to leave a friend’s home after making inappropriate comments. According to a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, Vigneau pulled out a knife and slashed it toward a man and his daughter.

The family dog came to protect his owners and Vigneau stabbed the dog in the mouth area two times, the release states. The dog suffered nonfatal injuries.

Vigneau was arraigned May 18 before visiting Magistrate Ryan Zemke in the 37th District Court. He is facing one count of animal torture, a seven-year felony, and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, a four-year felony. He is also being charged as a habitual offender-fourth offense, an aggravating factor in the criminal case against him.

Zemke set his bond at $60,000 cash/surety. A probable cause conference is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. May 28.

The charges filed in the case reflect the defendant’s “serious and violent nature,” Lucido said in a statement.

“My office remains committed to upholding law and order, protecting the safety of our communities and ensuring accountability for acts of violence,” he said. “That commitment extends not only to protecting the public, but also to protecting animals from cruelty and abuse.”

His attorney, Randy Rodnick, did not return a request for comment.

Call Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637.