DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — A Decatur man who attempted to set his cat on fire in October pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Justin S. Shadwell plead guilty to one count of aggravated cruelty. Counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and resisting a peace officer were dismissed.

Decatur police were dispatched on October 24 after reports that Shadwell was strangling a cat.

Police found him with the cat, which they said appeared to be dead. Police said he was swinging the dead animal above his head.

According to officers, Shadwell made several delusional statements and refused repeated commands to put the cat down. Then, police said he tried to burn the cat's face with a small blowtorch-style lighter.

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