Maryland business owner sentenced after returning false ashes to grieving pet owners

Rodney Ward, of Catonsville, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and he must pay nearly US$13,000 in restitution to the victims of a scheme that investigators said involved taking money from grieving pet owners. (WBAL via CNN Newsource)

TOWSON, Maryland (WBAL) -- A man who pleaded guilty last month to felony theft and malicious destruction of property on accusations he defrauded dozens of pet owners received his sentence Tuesday.

Rodney Ward, of Catonsville, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and he must pay nearly US$13,000 in restitution to the victims of a scheme that investigators said involved taking money from grieving pet owners. Ward’s fake pet crematory company returned rocks and sand rather than ashes.

Prosecutors said Ward ran a fake pet cremation service that instead dumped animals’ bodies in the woods and left more to decompose inside a hearse.

On Tuesday, victims said Ward’s calculated cruelty has caused them profound emotional suffering as they expressed their heartbreak-turned-trauma before a judge.

“This has been beyond my worst nightmare,” said Lindsay Taylor, a victim.

“It felt really empowering to share and to get to speak up for Captain and share some of this beautiful life and not just the trauma that has ensued since,” said Riley Thomas, a victim.

“He is a fraud. Everything that he did was under false pretenses. He lied. He acted compassionately. He took our money,” said Pierrson Thomas, a victim.

“You looked at us in the eye and quoted scripture to make us feel safe, all while planning to discard our beloved companions like they were trash,” said Joy Schoonover, a victim.

Ward didn’t say a word in court when given the opportunity.

The judge then said, “You didn’t have to listen long to realize this is real pain that he caused,” and he took the exposure of the case and the trauma he caused into account in his sentencing.

Some pet owners said they still don’t have closure because they don’t know where their animal’s bodies are.

“There’s no amount that can bring back the hurt, the fake empathy and everything — not just what I experienced, but what everybody else experienced,” said Kia Hutchison, a victim.

“I think the monster needs to rot in hell,” said Beverly Rassen, a victim.

The judge ordered that if Ward shares information about the animals’ whereabouts, the punishment could be reconsidered.

“Don’t believe one word that comes out of his mouth,” Assistant Baltimore County State’s Attorney Adam Lippe told WBAL-TV 11 News. “If it happens, we’ll follow up on it and we’ll do the right thing.”

Ward could have faced a maximum of 25 years in prison.

The case also inspired new state legislation that was sent to the Senate last week to increase oversight on pet crematories.