Cat killer Anthony Appolonia was sentenced to five years in prison Thursday for his admitted stomping, beating and drowning of 19 cats.

Appolonia, a 50-year-old from Aberdeen, acquired the animals through classified ads before torturing and slaughtering them by hand. He pleaded guilty to 19 counts of third-degree animal cruelty in September.

"I need treatment, psychological treatment," he said at the sentencing. "I am sorry to my friends and family for what I have done, and I apologize to the people who supplied me with [the cats]."

In addition to his prison sentence, Appolonia is now forbidden from ever owning a pet again and cannot be around cats or kittens without supervision. He must also submit a DNA sample to authorities and 40 hours of community service.

Considering time served, Appolonia could be up for parole in several weeks. The defense and prosecution agree the likelihood of him being paroled is low.

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