Streamer, rapper Aspen Kartier gets jail time in DeKalb puppy abuse case
Aspen "Kartier" Easterling (Brookhaven Police Department)
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A teen rapper and Twitch streamer known online as Aspen "Kartier" Easterling is heading to jail and is banned from being around dogs after a judge sentenced her in a DeKalb County animal abuse case, according to the DeKalb County Office of the Solicitor-General.
What we know:
A DeKalb County judge sentenced Easterling to a year of punishment, ordering her to serve 10 days in jail with the rest on probation. Easterling was credited for two days she already spent locked up, and officers took her straight to jail from the courtroom, prosecutors said.
PREVIOUS STORY: Rapper Aspen Kartier arrested for alleged animal cruelty caught on Twitch stream
The judge rejected Easterling’s request to be treated as a first-time offender, meaning the conviction will stay on her criminal record. A second animal cruelty charge was dropped, prosecutors added.
Under her probation terms, she is strictly banned from owning, caring for, or even being in the room with any dog. Officers will drop by for unannounced visits and random checks to make sure she follows the rules. Under Georgia law, the conviction also triggers an automatic five-year ban on owning pets.
Prosectors added that as part of her sentence, Easterling must also complete 24 anger management classes, perform 100 hours of community service, finish an animal abuse prevention program and pay $3,048 to cover the puppy’s veterinary bills and shelter care at LifeLine Animal Project, plus $39 a month in probation fees.
The DeKalb County Office of the Solicitor-General said that it was a non-negotiated agreement. Prosecutors in the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office argued for a stiffer punishment.
Both Easterling and a second person who claimed to own the dog gave up all rights to the puppy.
The backstory:
The case dates back to January, when Brookhaven police were flooded with tips about Easterling's Twitch stream.
Video clips showed Easterling repeatedly hitting a 3-month-old Maltipoo puppy and grabbing it by the scruff of its neck.
Police arrested Easterling at a home on Town Boulevard and turned the puppy over to DeKalb County Animal Control. Twitch banned her account shortly after the video went viral.
What we don't know:
While both Easterling and a second person surrendered all legal rights to the dog, officials have not said whether the puppy has been placed with a new adoptive family or remains in foster care through LifeLine Animal Project.
Authorities have not identified the other person who previously claimed ownership of the dog before signing over their rights in court.
It is unclear whether Twitch permanently banned Easterling's channel following its initial temporary suspension.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office and previous FOX 5 reporting on the Brookhaven Police Department's arrest.