Pair get prison for dragging kitten behind jeep, killing it with rock, posting video online

Two Missouri men convicted of dragging a kitten behind a jeep last June -- and posting the act on social media in a bid to get viewers to spring for a pizza -- have each been sentenced to four years in prison for animal abuse.

Kyle Williams, 18, of Branson, and Jordan Hall, 19, of Arnold, both pleaded guilty earlier this year, the Kansas City Star reported.

Williams posted a video of the torture to a Facebook group. The video purportedly shows the cat being dragged behind the vehicle as Hall drives.

At the end, Williams kills the kitten with a rock. According to a prosecutor, Williams posted the cat’s murder on Facebook so his audience would buy him a pizza.

But some members of the group alerted authorities.

“We are satisfied with the sentences handed down today by the judge for this senseless act of depravity against a helpless kitten," Taney County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Merrell said in a statement. "We appreciate the help of good Samaritans in our digital community in reporting this crime as it might have gone unpunished without their assistance."

"We appreciate the help of good Samaritans in our digital community in reporting this crime."

- Jeff Merrell, Taney County prosecuting attorney

While in custody for the animal abuse charge, Williams reportedly sharpened a spork into a shank. He was sentenced to an additional five years.