Modesto man accused of domestic violence, animal abuse and arson is facing 25 charges
A Modesto man appeared Monday in Stanislaus County Superior Court for two separate cases. One alleges he injured and tortured two women over the last year and the other alleges he committed arson and abused more than 100 dogs while running a suspected puppy mill.
Criminal complaint documents show Nicholas Dean Baugh, 38, is facing 25 charges of domestic abuse, animal abuse and arson between the two cases. His bail was set at $850,000 — $650,000 for the domestic violence case and $200,000 for the case of animal abuse and arson.
Baugh did not speak when he appeared in court Monday afternoon as the judge set his bail. His attorney, Alonzo Gradford, requested more time to review the case information, so the next court date was set for Wednesday morning.
Last week, sheriff’s Sgt. Luke Schwartz spoke of one woman Baugh allegedly abused. The criminal complaint in the domestic abuse case accuses Baugh of harming two women, who appear to be either current or former partners. He also has a domestic violence conviction from August 2016.
One woman is connected to two charges from March 2021 and the entirety of this February, during which time Baugh allegedly injured her, including with a torch.
The other woman is connected to charges beginning in April and going up until Baugh’s arrest Thursday.
Baugh allegedly burned the woman with a butane torch, beat her with an ashtray and used a shock collar on her, based on the criminal complaint and additional information Schwartz provided to The Modesto Bee. The criminal complaint also lists a knife or letter opener as an additional weapon.
Baugh is charged with false imprisonment of the woman from around April 15 through May 18, but Schwartz said last week that the woman was able to get away from Baugh on April 30.
Deputies began investigating after receiving an April 30 call about the abuse. Because he possibly had a firearm and the potential for a “violent confrontation,” the Special Investigations Unit of the Sheriff’s Office took over.
Animal abuse allegations
Deputies with the SIU arrested Baugh on Thursday at his mother’s home in east Modesto.
They also on Thursday served a search warrant at Baugh’s Roselawn home, a duplex where he lived in both parts. A misdemeanor charge in the criminal complaint said 134 dogs were being kept without proper care. Prosecutors said the total number of dogs was around 150, and Baugh was charged with felonies based on the condition of some of those animals.
Baugh faces 15 felony animal abuse charges stemming from the condition in which the dogs and puppies were found. A video from an animal control officer shows they were overcrowded and lacked sufficient access to food and water. Baugh also allegedly harmed at least one dog with a knife.
A fire broke out at the duplex while deputies were there, and the Burbank-Paradise Fire Department responded to the scene.
Deputies had mostly extinguished the fire by the time fire crews arrived, but firefighters stayed once it was extinguished to help with the dogs.
Last week, Assistant Fire Chief Chris Bernardi said the fire started on the stove and was classified as an accident.
However Baugh faces two felony arson charges — recklessly causing fire to an inhabited structure and recklessly causing a fire of a structure or forest — from Thursday. Neither the charges nor his court appearance provided details about the fire.
This story was originally published May 24, 2022 at 7:47 AM.
