Modesto man convicted after 150 dogs seized in puppy mill case
A Modesto man accused of running a large-scale puppy mill and abusing dozens of dogs faces up to four years in local state prison after a Stanislaus County jury convicted him of felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty following a lengthy trial.
Nicholas Dean Baugh, 42, was found guilty last week of four felony counts of animal cruelty involving two dogs and one misdemeanor count of failing to provide proper care to more than 130 dogs, according to court records. Jurors acquitted Baugh of several other felony animal-cruelty counts tied to individual dogs.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 13, after being continued to allow probation officials to prepare a sentencing report, a routine step following a jury trial.
Deputy District Attorney Tracy Griffin, who prosecuted the case, said Baugh faces a maximum sentence of four years under California’s realignment law.
“That would be local state prison time,” Griffin said. “Four years would be his maximum exposure.”
A case involving more than 150 dogs
The case dates back to 2022, when authorities seized approximately 150 dogs and puppies from a Modesto property investigators described as overcrowded and unsanitary. Prosecutors alleged the dogs were kept without adequate food, water or medical care and that some animals showed signs of severe neglect and injury.
Griffin said she deliberately limited the number of felony charges filed, despite the large number of animals involved.
“There were about 150 dogs, and I did not charge 150 counts,” Griffin said. “I was very particular about which dogs I charged and why.”
Jurors convicted Baugh on four felony counts tied to six dogs and a misdemeanor count involving the broader conditions in which more than 130 animals were kept. They found him not guilty on several other felony animal-cruelty counts related to specific dogs.
Prosecutor says acquittals were “baffling”
Griffin said the not-guilty verdicts on some counts surprised her, particularly those involving dogs she said were supported by extensive evidence.
“It was baffling to me,” she said. “Some of the dogs I had the most evidence on were among the counts the jury found not guilty on.”
The trial stretched over an extended period, which Griffin said may have contributed to jurors losing track of evidence tied to individual animals.
“When you stretch a trial that long, jurors can forget some of the evidence,” she said. “I tried in closing to remind them of what the evidence was for each dog related to each count.”
Griffin also said the defense’s focus on the number of felony charges may have influenced jurors.
“I don’t know if the normal person who’s a juror was concerned about finding someone guilty of that many felonies,” she said, adding that misdemeanor animal cruelty is not a lesser-included offense jurors can choose instead.
Evidence of alleged at-home surgeries
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that some dogs had abdominal incision wounds consistent with surgical procedures that were not performed by licensed veterinarians.
Griffin said investigators found surgical equipment at the residence and internet searches showing Baugh researching how to perform animal surgeries and obtain anesthesia drugs.
“The incisions were jagged and improperly closed,” Griffin said. “That indicated it likely was not done by a licensed veterinarian.”
Prosecutors alleged Baugh admitted to an animal control officer that he performed his own medical care on the dogs.
‘We are not going to allow that in this county’
Griffin, who has focused on animal-abuse prosecutions in Stanislaus County since 2020, said the verdict still sends a strong message.
“There is absolutely no reason to have 150 dogs other than to exploit them,” she said. “We are not going to allow that in this county.”
She said the case reflects increased coordination between the District Attorney’s Office and animal control agencies and a commitment to prosecuting large-scale abuse cases.
“We will do something about it,” Griffin said. “Puppy mills are not welcome here.”
Baugh remains out of custody pending sentencing. The judge will decide in January whether he serves jail time, receives probation, or a combination of both.
