Southampton police charge Riverside man with felony animal cruelty

Southampton Town police charged a Riverside man with a felony after they discovered his two dogs allegedly enduring inhumane conditions. 

Police went to the man's home at around 3:38 p.m. on Friday and found one of the dogs had a zip tie over his mouth as a makeshift muzzle. Both dogs appeared injured and mistreated, police said. 

Authorities charged Roosevelt Sykes, 54, with aggravated cruelty to animals — a felony — and issued a violation for failing to provide adequate shelter. 

Sykes was released after receiving a ticket to appear in Southampton Town Justice Court at a later. 

The dogs were removed from the scene and taken to a nearby shelter for medical treatment, police said. 

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ

Joseph Ostapiuk covers the Town of Oyster Bay and the city of Glen Cove. He joined Newsday in 2023 after spending more than six years at the Staten Island Advance.