A Brunswick couple initially charged with 152 counts of animal cruelty crimes will spend time jail after agreeing to a plea deal Monday.
Brunswick police seized 44 dogs from dog breeders on in 2018 many with infections and skin issues as seen here. Courtesy of Brunswick Police Department
Robert Enman, 61, pleaded guilty in a Cumberland County courtroom to one count of cruelty to animals and two counts of failure to give animals necessary medical attention. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, according to Assistant District Attorney Amanda Doherty.
Instead of pleading to animal cruelty charges, Nancy Enman, 61, pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct under the plea deal and received a 10-day jail sentence.
With this type of conviction, Robert and Nancy Enman will not be able to obtain animal breeding licenses in the future, Doherty said.
“They are only allowed to have the dogs that were given back to them at the civil possession hearing as part of an agreement that they were pets, and those dogs have all been spayed or neutered,” Doherty said.
As a result of that civil case, the couple is also subject to a lifetime of random check-ins anywhere they live in within Maine to ensure they’re following the rules of the agreement and that their animals are being cared for.
Records show Brunswick police in August 2018 searched the Enmans’ home at 1024 River Road and found 44 dogs and a bird living in squalor. Authorities seized the animals and condemned the home due to safety and sanitation concerns. Three goats were taken later the same month. The town has since lifted the condemnation order.
Most of the dogs were a mix of small, popular breeds and ranged from six weeks to 13 years old. The puppies were being advertised for sale online for $500 each.
More than two dozen of the dogs went up for adoption through Midcoast Humane in November 2018. That same month Judge Maria Woodman decided in a civil proceeding that the Enmans could keep a cat, a bird and seven of the 38 dogs seized. The remaining 31 dogs and the goats were adopted out.
Court documents show that Nancy, Robert and their son Kyle Enman each faced 41 counts of cruelty to animals, 37 counts of failing to give animal humanely clean conditions, 37 counts of failure to give animal necessary medical attention, and 37 counts of failure to give animal proper indoor shelter.
In July, Kyle Enman, 36, was allowed to plead to a lesser charge if he followed conditions until his next court appearance. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Jan. 17, 2020.
Doherty stated in an email that Kyle Enman’s case was handled differently because he was not the primary caregiver or owner of any of the animals involved.
dmoore@timesrecord.com
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