Seaside Heights Man Who Beat Brutally Beat Little Dog To Death Will Be Sentenced On Friday

TOMS RIVER, NJ — First Nicholas Piccolino told police that Booshu, the 15-pound dog that belonged to his girlfriend had soiled her crate.

The next story was the Booshu had bitten him and he threw her to the ground. At least that's the story he told his girlfriend when she arrived home. He later admitted in Ocean County Superior Court that he had caused the injuries to the little dog, Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office has said.

Booshu, a 10-year-old Bichon Frise, died of horrific injuries. She had multiple rib fractures on both sides of her body, multiple bruises, and broken and missing teeth, according to autopsy results, Della Fave has said.

Piccolino, 34, is due to be sentenced for the dog's death on July 7.

Booshu's owner came home on August 19, 2016 after Piccolino notified her that something was wrong with her dog. She found her dog dead on the bathroom floor. Piccolino told her that Booshu "dirtied" herself in her crate and that he dropped her while he was cleaning her up.

But NJSPCA Detective Sgt. Larry Donato and Seaside Heights police officers determined that an upstairs resident of the house heard loud banging sounds and a dog yelping in the kitchen below, Della Fave said.

Donato presented his findings to Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Heidi Tannenbaum-Newman who approved third degree charges of torment, torture, unnecessarily or cruelly beating a living animal to their death.

Piccolino, Staten Island, remains incarcerated in the Ocean County Jail.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato wants Piccolino to serve jail time, according to app.com

The case is on the docket Friday, when Piccolino, 34, of Staten Island, New York, is scheduled to appear before Superior Court Judge James M. Blaney at 9 a.m. on Friday.

Image: Courtesy of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office