Crime

He killed Kitty!

Nathaniel Stark was sentenced to 12 years in the Department of Corrections animal abuse.
The defendant, had originally been sentenced to 10 years of Sex Offender
Intensive Supervision Probation on January 5, 2018. He was designated by the Court as a Sexually
Violent Predator. Shortly after being released from a halfway house in August 2019, the
defendant’s girlfriend’s animals began showing signs of injuries. Within three months of them
residing together, two of her cats were deceased. Veterinarians concluded that the injuries of one
of the cats was not inflicted by another animal, rather the cause of death was consistent with head
trauma and strangulation. Then, in February 2020, the defendant severely beat his girlfriend’s
dog. Veterinarians observed a significant amount of bruising between the dog’s hind legs, which
appeared to be caused by trauma commonly seen in abuse. There was additional deep bruising on
the dog’s back above her hind legs. The dog was removed from their custody immediately. The
defendant was later arrested in October 2020 for violating bond for having contact with
animals. After his arrest and while the cases were pending, he fled the state and was ultimately
extradited back to Colorado.
On May 13, 2022, the defendant entered a guilty plea in 20CR382 to one count of Aggravated
Cruelty to Animals, a class 6 felony; he, also, entered a guilty plea in L21M95 to Sex Offender
Fail to Verify Location, an unclassified misdemeanor. The sentence was open to the court, with
no sentencing stipulation by the People. The defendant requested a screen for community
corrections, and the board denied his request. Today, the Court imposed 12 years in state prison.
Deputy District Attorney Jenny McClintock stated, “The defendant’s abuse of his partner’s
animals in this case was just one act of violence in his criminal history. It is important to take
these cases seriously as they involve victims who have no voice and are often used as coercive
controlling tactics in a domestic violence relationship. We are pleased with the sentence that the
Court imposed and want to thank our law enforcement partners for the exceptional investigation
in this case.”
District Attorney Michael Dougherty stated, “This case involved terrible conduct against
animals. Given his prior conduct and the cruel acts involving his partner’s pets, the defendant.

clearly presented a risk to others. That’s why we have a prosecutor who specializes in cases
involving animal cruelty. I appreciate all the hard work by Jenny McClintock and law enforcement
in this Aggravated Cruelty to Animals case. With this lengthy prison sentence, this defendant is
being held responsible for his conduct.”