A Coaldale woman has been sentenced to four and a half years of probation after pleading guilty to multiple counts of animal cruelty, capping a case that began when police discovered the remains of dozens of cats inside a Summit Hill apartment.

Lori Ann Claypoole, 59, was sentenced May 21 in Carbon County Court of Common Pleas by Senior Judge Thomas J. Munley. She entered a negotiated guilty plea in January on 21 counts of cruelty to animals, all second-degree misdemeanors.

As part of the plea agreement, the most serious charge, aggravated cruelty to animals causing serious bodily injury or death, a third-degree felony, was dismissed along with four counts of neglect of animals for failure to provide veterinary care, and two summary violations related to cat vaccination and licensing requirements.

Under the terms of her sentence, Claypoole will serve three consecutive 18-month probation periods. She is prohibited from owning, possessing or caring for any animals for the duration of her probation. She must also submit a DNA sample within 30 days of sentencing and pay restitution of at least $100 per month. Court records show total restitution of $3,180.79 has been ordered, with overall financial obligations, including court costs and fees, totaling $7,001.75.

The case stems from the discovery of what authorities described as a grim scene inside a second-floor Summit Hill Borough apartment. Summit Hill Police Chief Todd Woodward entered the unit May 9, 2025 after the landlord found dead cats while inspecting the property for a roof leak, according to court documents.

Woodward found a minimum of 30 deceased cats in various stages of decay with some complete skeletons, some missing heads, and skulls and carcasses with patches of hair still attached, court papers said. The floors in the bedrooms, hallway and attic steps were covered in several inches of what appeared to be excrement. Two live cats were found walking in the living room, which also contained bowls of food and water, court documents said.

In all, six cats were found alive inside the apartment, surrounded by the corpses of dozens of others. Four additional cats escaped by leaping from a second-story window that had been opened for ventilation, according to court records.

During police interviews following the discovery, Claypoole said she had four cats and that all of the animals were strays she had taken in, and that she had lost track of their number. She said she had not taken any of them to a veterinarian or had them licensed.

Claypoole told police she was overwhelmed, believed she needed psychiatric help and did not know what to do with the deceased cats, which she assumed had died of natural causes. She also told police she rented the apartment but had not lived there in about four years, and that she came there daily to feed the cats.

The apartment’s owner, Sean Hegarty, has been vocal about his displeasure with the charges brought against Claypoole, contending that prosecutors should have filed additional charges to account for the full number of deceased animals. Hegarty said he stopped counting dead cats at 50 and has claimed on social media that the total number of deceased cats reached 100.