Christopher Maxwell.

By Michael Mashburn From Daily Voice

A Bronx man who starved a dog for nearly two weeks and later set the animal’s body on fire in Albany is heading to prison.

Christopher Maxwell, 34, was sentenced Thursday, Nov. 20, in Albany County Court to 16 months to four years behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from the death of a 1-year-old pit bull.

Maxwell admitted to leaving the dog alone in his residence without enough food or water for nearly two weeks. The animal died during that period, according to the Albany County District Attorney’s Office.

Maxwell later dragged the dog’s remains in a crate to a parking lot near Fourth Avenue and Franklin Street in Albany, where he poured lighter fluid on the body and set it on fire. Surveillance footage recovered by officers showed him transporting the crate, prosecutors said.

Albany Police found the burned dog inside the crate on Monday, Feb. 24. Detectives determined the animal had already died before the fire was set.

Maxwell rejected an earlier plea deal and copped in September to aggravated cruelty to animals, along with counts of overdriving, torturing, injuring and not feeding an animal, fifth-degree arson, criminal mischief, and tampering with physical evidence.

His girlfriend, Latisha Ellis, 33, pleaded guilty in June to aggravated cruelty to animals for her role in the case. She was sentenced in September to five years of probation.

As part of the sentence, both Maxwell and Ellis are banned from owning or residing with animals for 50 years.