DAUPHIN COUNTY — A Highspire Police officer and his wife were sentenced Monday in Dauphin County Court to identical 3- to 12-month prison terms after pleading no contest to animal neglect charges.
Jeffrey Levan, 53, will immediately begin serving his prison term after being sentenced Monday by Dauphin County Judge Scott A. Evans. Levan’s wife, Amber Levan, 34, will begin serving her sentence in May, so that someone will be home to care for the couple’s children.
The Levans were ordered to pay $4,255.95 in restitution for the care of the dog, according to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office.
The Halifax couple was initially charged with animal cruelty in July 2019 after a State Police investigation of their suspected abuse and neglect of their 5-year-old dog, Bruno. The Golden Retriever mix was taken from the Levan home after investigators determined the dog was 20 to 30 pounds underweight.
The dog was sent to an animal rescue shelter for treatment.
Investigators allege that the Levans were on vacation, and their babysitter, Tori Lebo, had been asked to look after the dog while they were away. Lebo allegedly took the dog to her own residence to care for it, and that was where another person observed the dog and contacted the One Dog at a Time rescue shelter, according to a criminal complaint filed after the investigation.
Police say the dog was extremely thin, to the point where his bones and ribs were visible. His nails were long and untrimmed, and there were sores on the dog’s feet. The dog had difficultly standing and walking, was covered in dirt, and smelled like urine, according to police.
Investigators spoke to the Levans over the phone, according to the complaint. They allegedly claimed the dog was suffering from cancer, which accounted for his weight loss, and told police the dog was fed twice a day.
They claimed the dog had not seen a veterinarian in over a year, and there was no documentation of its condition, police say.
Police determined that the dog did not have a license, and the veterinarian referenced by Jeffrey Levan told police records indicated the dog had been brought to the clinic as a puppy and had never made any follow-up visits, according to the complaint.
The dog now weighs about 61 pounds after receiving care at the shelter.
The Highspire Borough Council said in a statement Monday that it has issued a list of charges to the Highspire Civil Service Commission asking for Jeffrey LeVan’s removal from the police force. He was placed on unpaid leave after the charges were filed.
Amber Levan reportedly lost her job at the Dauphin County Prison after being charged.
