Police: Former Big Run man charged after several dead animals found on his property

BIG RUN BOROUGH, Pennsylvania (EYT) – A former Big Run resident faces charges after several dead animals, including chickens, rabbits and birds, were found on his property.

Court documents show that Punxsutawney State Police have filed charges against the 68-year-old John T. Benko– of Philadelphia and formerly of Big Run – in the office of District Judge David B. Inzana on June 13.

According to a criminal complaint, PSP Punxsutawney received a report of dead animals found in a residence in the 500 block of West Main Street in Big Run Borough, Jefferson County while attempting to serve a warrant for John Benko on January 31st at around 2:10 p.m.

Officers with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported that when they arrived at the residence, people were cleaning up the property. Officers said they saw a few cardboard boxes containing dead chickens and rabbits on the back porch, the complaint states.

After receiving this information, Trooper Gary Evans spoke with Benko and several family members. One family member reported that she and other family members drove to Benko’s residence before Christmas to pick him up because of his health issues. She said when they arrived at the residence, they noticed a few dead rabbits and chickens still in cages on the back porch and in the back yard near the dumpster, the complaint states.

She said during the few days she spent at the apartment, Benko attempted to dispose of about six dead chickens from inside and outside the apartment. The well-known woman said the house “stank of death because of all the dead animals,” the complaint states.

In an interview with police, Benko stated that he purchased some of the animals online and some at agricultural shows. He said that all of the animals were kept in cages during the time he lived at the residence. Benko further stated that some of the animals escaped from the cages and he attempted to capture them, but was unable to capture all of them due to his poor health. He claimed that he gave the animals food and water, but he believes his dogs killed some and the winter weather killed the others, according to the complaint.

Benko also said that after he was brought to Philadelphia by his family, some family members came to clean up the property and take the animals that were still alive, the complaint states.

Another of Benko’s family members said she was shocked by what she saw in the apartment. She said there was trash everywhere, including a box of dead rabbits and a pile of dead birds, the lawsuit states.

According to the complaint, police questioned a known man who was hired to clean the property.

The known man stated that he met Benko some time ago at a pet auction and was contacted by one of Benko’s family members through Facebook, asking if he could help clean up the property as he was returning to Philadelphia. After the known man received the news, Benko called him and asked if he would be willing to take in the animals that were still alive. When he arrived at the residence, he noticed several boxes full of dead animals, including rabbits and chickens. He also reported that one of the boxes had been sitting outside for so long that it had begun to deteriorate, the complaint continues.

The man stated that there was an open bag of groceries in the apartment during his stay and that he took six rabbits and 36 chickens, the complaint states.

Benko was accused of the following:

• Animal cruelty, offense 2

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 31 at 10:00 a.m., presided over by Judge Inzana.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19VG8oFyGE6k1U8hjXJYUkXzxzFkB8zmZ/view?usp=sharing
https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/MdjDocketSheet?docketNumber=MJ-54302-CR-0000097-2024&dnh=WA2ru2HUwkzNbThyGsYs9w%3D%3D
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