Court finds man at center of massive animal cruelty case is a flight risk

Vasili Platunov had been out on bail since first being charged two years ago with felony animal cruelty in the wake of a Channel 13 Investigation .

But according to a tip we got back in May — which was confirmed by prosecutors — he wasn't planning to stick around and stand trial.

"With the nature of the charges, with the significant punishment that he is facing, he is a huge flight risk," Nye County District Attorney Brian Kunzi said in May after Platunov was arrested again.

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Wednesday morning in court in Pahrump, Judge Robert Lane decided to keep Platunov behind bars after the D.A. presented medical records that documented a conversation Platunov had with his doctor. The records show Platunov told his doctor he was intending to leave for Israel at the same time he was telling the court he was not intending to leave.

The judge found Platunov's misrepresentations to the court indicated he was a flight risk if released from custody.

"I've been a prosecutor for over 20 years and I don't know that I've ever seen a worse case of animal torture and abuse," Kunzi said.

NCSO

Platunov and his ex-wife, Oksana Higgins, are facing felony animal cruelty charges stemming from illegally breeding Russian Caucasian shepherds that they sold as guard dogs .

When first arrested in 2022, they were charged with torturing and neglecting nearly 300 dogs in two locations.

There are currently two pending cases and trial is expected to begin in August.

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