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On Thursday, Jan. 4, Frederick Pierce has been found guilty on charges of animal cruelty and arson following an investigation by the Prince William County Police Department and the Prince William County Fire Marshall’s Office, Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth said.
Pierce, 18, was left to watch the 3-month-old Siamese and Maine Coon, Misty, at one of the Stone Point Apartments in Woodbridge for just a few hours on Friday, May 26, 2023, Prince William County police said.
When the cat's owner returned home from work that evening, she found Misty lying on the bedroom floor with its legs barely moving, police said.
Pierce admitted he struck the cat with a shoe, saying that misty was “bad” and that destroyed furniture. He further said the kitten came into the room and kept bothering him, so he went into the hallway and struck it two times in the head with his blue Jordan shoe, which he was wearing. The kitten died from the injuries inflicted by Pierce, Ashworth said.
On or about June 14, 2023, Fire Marshall Lt. D. Schultz responded to the same Potomac Heights Place apartment for a report that Mr. Frederick Pierce had ignited two separate fires after threatening to burn the apartment down, Ashworth said.
A witness saw a fire at the foot of Pierce’s bed and extinguished it with the help of another witness. They then locked Pierce out of the apartment and after he failed to gain re-entry, they heard the smoke detectors from the hallway activate and saw smoke via the peep hole.
A neighbor was able to put out the fire which was started in the trash can in the apartment complex mail room on the second floor with the help of Prince William County Police officers.
Pierce will be sentenced by the court on April 25. The maximum punishment is ten years in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Roshni Dhillon. The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney would like to commend the Prince William County Police Department and the Prince William County Fire Marshall’s Office, specifically Officer Brent Williams and Animal Control Officer Norah Beard as well as Fire Marshall Lt. D. Schultz for their work on the case.
“Animal cruelty is a serious offense that will not be tolerated in our community. My office remains committed to vigorously prosecuting individuals who engage in such reprehensible acts, seeking justice for the helpless victims who cannot speak for themselves," Ashworth said. "This case serves as a reminder that our community will not tolerate such acts of violence and those who commit them will be held accountable.”
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