Centreville Man Gets Jail Time in Animal Cruelty Case

Queen Anne's County, MD - On May 5, 2026, Queen Anne's County Animal Control responded to a home in Centreville, MD, for a report of a dog going after a neighbor's chickens. That call led to a criminal case that has now ended with a local man going to jail.

When the animal control officer arrived, they found a brown and white pitbull that was badly underweight. The dog was so thin that its ribs, spine and hip bones could be seen.

The officer then launched an investigation into who was caring for the dog. That led to John Forbes, who said he was the one taking care of the dog.

Forbes told the officer he was only watching the dog for a friend and agreed to give the dog up to the animal shelter.

The case then moved through the court system over the next few months. On September 23, 2026, Forbes was found guilty of one count of animal cruelty.

Forbes was sentenced to 20 days at the Queen Anne's County Detention Center. Those 20 days are active jail time, meaning he will serve them behind bars.

His sentence does not end when he walks out of jail. Forbes will be placed on probation once he is released. One of the rules of that probation is a full ban on animals. He is not allowed to own or have animals of any kind.

Assistant State's Attorney Caitlin Taylor prosecuted the case for the Queen Anne's County State's Attorney's Office.