Aberdeen man pleads guilty to animal cruelty

A brutal court case of animal cruelty is nearly over as the man accused of stomping, beating and drowning 19 cats pleaded guilty Monday.
Anthony Appolonia, of Aberdeen, made a deal with Monmouth County prosecutors to plead guilty to 19 counts of third-degree animal cruelty. With the deal, Appolonia likely will face five years in prison as it calls for him to serve the 19 sentences concurrently.
Appolonia confessed to torturing the cats in his Aberdeen apartment in open court Monday as some of the people who gave Appolonia their cats looked on from the gallery. They said they feel duped and betrayed, and don?t think his sentence will be long enough.