KINZERS, Pa. — Police have charged a Lancaster County man with killing 11 turkeys in a pasture after a farm owner turned down his request for work.
Jesse Bills, 28, of Gap, is charged with 11 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, criminal mischief, and agricultural trespassing, according to State Police.
The alleged incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. at a home on the 5000 block of Friendship Lane in Salisbury Township, police said.
According to police, the turkeys were held inside an electric fence pasture at the home. After allegedly shooting the turkeys, Bills took two of the birds along with him when he left the scene.
A neighbor allegedly saw Bills walking in the victim's field and contacted the victim, according to the criminal complaint affidavit.
The victim confronted Bills and asked him about the turkeys. Bills allegedly agreed to pay for the birds, but stated he did not have the funds to do so. He then took two of the dead birds and left the scene. The victim then contacted police, according to the complaint.
Police found him walking in a farm field nearby and detained him for questioning. They found the two turkeys he took after searching the area, authorities said.
Bills told police he was looking for a job to help pay off debts and visited the victim's home to ask for work. He was told to come back in the morning, according to police.
Bills told authorities that a family member told him to go back to the victim's home and grab as many turkeys as he could after he was turned down for work.
Bills is being held in Lancaster County Prison, with bail set at $1,000.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30.
