A Vian woman is scheduled to go before a judge this month after being charged with a felony count of cruelty to animals in Sequoyah County District Court.

Deborah Stiles, 63, was formally charged on Nov. 28, 2023, and a warrant was issued for her arrest the same day according to court records. She received a $5,000 bond and is now set to appear at 9 a.m. on Feb. 26 before Judge Matt Orendorff.

Vian Police officer Lethia McLaughlin reported on Oct. 19, 2023, she was sent to a residence on Sequoyah Street where she found the home vacant and a dog inside a fence. The officer reported the dog was known to be aggressive and belonging to the former resident, Stiles.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, McLaughlin reported the dog to be healthy at that time. She said she was sent back to the residence on Nov. 2, 2023, where she found the dog still confined inside the fence and the residence unoccupied.

The officer said the dog was seized due to the canine’s health being in danger and it was transported to an area animal clinic where it died shortly after.

During an interview with Stiles, she reportedly told the officer that she owned the dog but had moved to Muldrow. Stiles claimed that she came back periodically to feed it but McLaughlin reported the dog was malnourished and had been unattended to for some time.

McLaughlin then requested a warrant be issued for Stiles’ arrest.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said if found guilty of the charge, Stiles could face a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment for up to five years, or both fine and imprisonment.