SALT LAKE CITY — A Murray man faces five counts of animal torture after police say he trapped kittens on sticky paper and threw them in the garbage.
Court records show 63-year-old Stephen Patrick Lacy was charged Tuesday with five third-degree felony counts of torture to a companion animal.
Police say a neighbor reported hearing kittens crying in Lacy's yard in Murray last month.
The neighbor found two kittens inside a garbage can and stuck to sticky paper used in mouse traps.
Police say one kitten had a broken leg while the other kitten's mouth was stuck shut.
Authorities say Lacy told police he was trying to catch feral cats and he admitted to trapping the animals and putting them in the garbage.
It's unclear if Lacy has an attorney. A message left at a listed phone number for Lacy was not returned Thursday.
Lacy is scheduled to make his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Sept. 23 at 8:30 a.m.