Daytona Beach, FL - The two men who were accused of torturing a turtle in Daytona Beach in February and beating up the veteran who tried to stop them were sentenced to probation on Monday.
23-year-old Ryan Ponder and 18-year-old Johnnie Beveritt beat up and seriously injured Gulf War Navy vet Gary Blough, who intervened when he saw the men abusing the turtle. Both men were in jail for several months awaiting trial, and both pleaded no contest on Monday to animal cruelty.
Along with 18 months of probation, the two men must make just over $16,000 in restitution payments to Blough, and they were ordered to have no unnecessary interaction with wild animals.
For more on this story, go to WESH 2 News.
For earlier reporting on this story, go here and here.
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