Dillon Pearce pleads guilty to violating his probation in duckling deaths
Dillon Pearce pleaded guilty Wednesday to violating the terms of his probation after missing two classes and a required drug screening .
Pearce pleaded guilty in July to intentionally running over and killing four ducklings and using marijuana in an Ann Arbor McDonald’s parking lot and was sentenced to serve 10 days in jail and one year of probation.
He was arrested last week on a bench warrant for missing a drug screening on Aug. 10, just 1 week after he was sentenced.
Dillon Pearce
Pearce pleaded guilty to the charge of missing that drug screening, in addition to a charge of missing "Thinking Matters" classes on Aug. 11 and Aug. 16.
Pearce’s lawyer, David Nacht, said his client did not dispute the charges and took responsibility.
“It’s the gist of it that we’re not going to contest and my client will be held responsible,” Nacht told Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Archie Brown.
Pearce will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 7. For violating his probation, Pearce faces the maximum penalty for killing and torturing an animal, which is 4 years in prison.
While in court Wednesday, Nacht told Brown that Pearce has been drug tested six times since he was sentenced and has tested negative every time. Brown said that would be something taken into account during the sentencing hearing.
Pearce appeared in court clad in a green Washtenaw County Jail uniform. He has been held in custody since he was arrested on the bench warrant last week.
Pearce pleaded guilty to running over four ducklings and using marijuana on April 25 at the McDonald’s restaurant at 2625 Plymouth Road. The manager at the store told police she saw Pearce pull out of the adjacent parking lot where he and his friends were eating their food and turn back into the McDonald’s parking lot.
According to the police report, Pearce then ran over four ducklings while the other men in the Hummer laughed.
The birds were found dead at an entrance to the property and Pearce was arrested at a nearby gas station, where police found a small medicine bottle containing marijuana.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
seekerofwisdom
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 11:46 p.m.
This story is not a waste of time if it is used as a lesson and as a deterent to would be criminals. Dillion should have received a community service sentence requiring him to work at the Humane Society or something similar. When one is allowed to PAY there way out of a sentence, humility and remorse appears to escape them. Yes, as one reader said, "it was just a couple of ducks." Ducks today humans tomorrow. Jeffrey Dahmer began his criminal career with road kill. Its not an exaggeration. Secondly, if one is allowed to complain about unnecessary headlines, Amanda Knox would fit the criteria.
Donald Martin
Tue, Sep 6, 2011 : 7:42 p.m.
I'm sorry, but it seems like Mr Pearce is daring the system to give him a harsh sentence. He appears to have absolutely no respect for the courts, and absolutely no sense of responsibility. Something has to be done to wake this kid up and give him a clue about what real life is like, and I hope the courts see to it. I don't wish him ill, but I do wish something would put some sense into him. It also sounds like his lawyers are almost as enabling as his parents appear to be. These defiant stunts he's pulling are going to be a cloud over him for the rest of his adult life, why is nobody explaining that to him?
seekerofwisdom
Mon, Oct 3, 2011 : 11:54 p.m.
The enablers will buy the cloud that could have been over his life. He needs an extended abused animal shelter sentence. Perhaps that will assist him in his blatant disrespect of the law and life.
Blue
Sun, Sep 4, 2011 : 8:11 p.m.
How many more ways can this kid be disrespectful. After everything that's happened you'd think he'd at least comply with these minimal requirements. No respect for the rules of decency - no respect for the lives of animals - no respect for the law. I'd like to see him jailed and his Mommy and Daddy pay the bill. It is certainly a lesson on how NOT to raise children! Shame, shame.
actionjackson
Fri, Sep 2, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.
Where does "pressed duck" come from? Guess it's not supposed to have Hummer tracks on it.
applehazar
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 12:17 p.m.
Dillon - wake up - someday you will want a career. Live by the rules and life can go on. Keep bucking the rules and this will follow you forever. It is sad but this will have to be explained at every job interview you will ever have
Sallyxyz
Fri, Sep 2, 2011 : 4:50 p.m.
The way this is going, who would hire this punk?
Steve Pepple
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 12:10 p.m.
A comment containing a profane term has been removed.
aawolve
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 11:31 a.m.
Ha, he looks like the villain in an 80's teen movie.
Jack Gladney
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 9:28 a.m.
Is it me or when you look at that mug shot, is something missing there? Scary dude.
nixon41
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 12:02 p.m.
he has that look, like WHO ME?????
johnnya2
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 5:54 a.m.
"acht told Brown that Pearce has been drug tested six times since he was sentenced and has tested negative every time. " Umm, YOUR SUPPOSED TO TEST NEGATIVE. Does he want a cookie for doing what he is SUPPOSED to not do? Reminds me of Chris Rock talking about friends who said " I take care of my kids" or " I aint never beeen to jail" You want prizes for doing what youre supposed to do?
snoopdog
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 2:35 a.m.
I simply love seeing his picture every two weeks, it is hilarious ! Good Day
Grimey
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 11:23 p.m.
"If only i could turn it into my A2dotcom profile pic...". Yeah, you know you were thinking it.
Marilyn Wilkie
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 3:01 a.m.
Yeah that picture is like "gee mom, I didn't mean to hit my little brother!"
obviouscomment
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 2:43 a.m.
i know, the look on his face is priceless!
quetzalcoatl
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 2:04 a.m.
Maximum penalty would cost the state -- that means you and me -- about $30,000 to $40,000 per dead duckling. Ain't worth it to me.
tinkerbell
Fri, Sep 2, 2011 : 3:37 a.m.
Come on over quetzacoatl. I'd like to show you the pavement
johnnya2
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 5:51 a.m.
How much is the pooping on cop cars and pot, and nto showing up to MANDATORY meetings worth to you? I suppose if prisons and jail now need to be based on profitability we could let all criminals go. I mean if somebody steals $100k, and they are in jail for 10 years, that means it cost us $3000k to $400k. Not a good trade off. We should let them go and not charge them anyway, I mean its only somebody elses money, Not worth it to me.
andreadar
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 1:25 a.m.
I agree with Dennis. Put the chump in jail for about 364 days and let us quit reading about this dunb---. If he still cannot figure it out, show him some hard time.
Roadman
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:46 p.m.
If Judge Archie Brown, due to alleged violations of probationary conditions, has discretion to now go above the 10 days and sentence Dillon Pearce to a harsher term, then the public should send correspondences to the County Prosecutor urging advocacy of a hard line being imposed by the judge at sentencing. Terms of probation should be observed by criminal defendants as they represent an imposition of judicial leniency as opposed to the rigors of prison.
tinkerbell
Fri, Sep 2, 2011 : 3:39 a.m.
You go Judge Brown!
A2frank
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:42 p.m.
This story needs to be followed as long as this creep is a resident of our city. Today animal cruelty, tomorrow, perhaps our very own serial killer.
Grimey
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:30 p.m.
Sensationalist. Scary how some people get into it and refuse to let it go.
Grimey
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 11:21 p.m.
@Roadman - Agreed. But it's even more scary when commenters detract from the stupidity and callousness of the serious act of killing human beings.
Roadman
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:53 p.m.
I think the story has been overblown, but it does not detract from the stupidiy and callousness of the serious act of killing ducklings.
RJA
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:21 p.m.
Guilty! How could he not have plead not guilty? The court has his number! Do keep us up-dated on this crime Kyle. It is not that I enjoy reading about this case, I just have 0 tolerance for animal crulety, and those that abuse.
A2Boy
Fri, Sep 2, 2011 : 4:20 a.m.
How could he not have plead not guilty? What are you trying to say: How could he have plead guilty?
transmission
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:19 p.m.
Watching A2.com report on this stuff as if it's serious, and then having everyone chime in during the comments reminds me of the Jerry Springer show.
tinkerbell
Fri, Sep 2, 2011 : 3:33 a.m.
Come on over transmission. I'd like to show you the same courtesy
Marilyn Wilkie
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 2:59 a.m.
Well I guess you are a fan of Jerry Springer huh?
a2roots
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:04 p.m.
Maybe the best thing would be to cut him loose so he can go to Canada. He can then be their problem. He certainly appears to be clueless.
tinkerbell
Fri, Sep 2, 2011 : 3:32 a.m.
The Canada doesn't take criminals from the U.S.
Jim
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:29 p.m.
The Canadians probably wouldn't want him and what have the Canadians done to deserve him?
Ron Granger
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 10:38 p.m.
He had so little he had to do in order to comply with the fairly lenient sentence, and get his life back on track. He could have quietly exited the media spotlight. He was given a great chance. He clearly did not learn his lesson, and continues to demonstrate a disregard for the rule of law. How can the judge not sentence him to some serious jail time? The worst part is we'll continue to hear about him, and he'll continue to be in our area.
Roadman
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:50 p.m.
He may not be in your area if Judge Brown imposes a prison term due to the alleged violations. Sadly, Dillon Pearce has been given chances by our criminal justice system even before this incident as well as after. It does not look like he takes these matters seriously.
Mr. Ed
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 10:37 p.m.
People feel this story is a waste of time. It someone believes this then don't read it. Thanks AnnArbor.com for the reporting. It appears some people that are charged and plead never get it.
Smart Logic
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 10:50 a.m.
a2citizen, I think you had a derp moment. Mr. Ed was commending them for reporting this story amidst the others complaining about it.
a2citizen
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.
How can you believe it's a waste of time if you don't read it? How else would you develop an informed opinion? He was charged. He plead guilty. Now he will get it.
Dennis
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 9:48 p.m.
annarbor.com please stop wasting my time with news about the duckling kid. I personally could not care less is he had run over 100's of ducklings at once. I'm sure there are more important things Mr. Feldscher could be reporting on.
David Spence
Wed, Sep 21, 2011 : 11:40 p.m.
How is AnnArbor.com wasting your time? Can't you decide for yourself which stories you want to read? So if you read this one, then who was responsible for the waste of your time?
tinkerbell
Fri, Sep 2, 2011 : 3:30 a.m.
Come on over Dennis. I'd like to show you the same hospitality
Bob Krzewinski
Thu, Sep 1, 2011 : 1:42 a.m.
According to a 1997 study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Northeastern University, animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than are individuals without a history of animal abuse.
Bear
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 10:54 p.m.
And may you have ducklings in your dreams....
Ron Granger
Wed, Aug 31, 2011 : 10:39 p.m.
Thanks for taking the time to let us know you are wasting your time. We really appreciate you time.