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WEST JORDAN — A man accused of stomping on his girlfriend's puppy and killing it pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against him Tuesday.
David Stepper, 42, pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to an animal, a class A misdemeanor, before 3rd District Court Judge Terry Christiansen. Originally, the man was slated to stand trial Tuesday, but instead opted to enter a plea.
Stepper's "on-again, off-again" girlfriend, Rebecca Johnson, testified at a preliminary hearing that she bought the Pomeranian puppy she named Cooper on Dec. 20, 2010, as a Christmas gift to her children. She said she tried diligently to keep it hidden from Stepper — who works as a miner three out of four weeks and comes back to Utah only periodically — because the man didn't want a dog in the house.
When he discovered the dog in January, she said an argument ensued leading to Stepper repeatedly stomping on the animal and at some point, killing it.
Stepper's attorney was adamant that his client is a full- grown, 275-pound man and such a step would have literally crushed the 2-pound animal. He said photos showed no such damage. He argued that it was more likely the dog was injured in a scuffle over a broom that took place between Johnson and Stepper.
Stepper will be sentenced on the charge, which was originally classified as a felony, on Jan. 23.
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