Texas Man Sentenced to Over 3 Years for Kicking Cat in Viral Video

Donaldvan Williams was convicted under federal animal cruelty laws after a video showed him kicking a cat 15-20 feet in the air.

Williams, 30, pleaded guilty to animal crushing and aiding and abetting, receiving a 40-month prison sentence.
The incident occurred in October 2021 at a Beaumont apartment complex and was recorded and shared on social media.
Another man, Decorius Mire, filmed the act and was sentenced to 18 months in prison in July 2023.
Federal charges were pursued due to the severity of the act, which included the cat being set on fire by an unknown individual.
The Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, under which Williams was charged, bans both animal harm and the distribution of cruelty videos.