Former Steelers draft pick convicted, sentenced for animal cruelty charges

Former P ittsburgh Steelers sixth-round pick and defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs has been convicted and sentenced for two misdemeanor animal cruelty against him.

Buggs was charged with two counts of animal cruelty in May for allegedly neglecting two dogs that were in his care. According to Carol Robinson of AL.com , he was convicted on those charges on July 19 and sentenced.

The sentence for Buggs is 365 days of hard labor, but he will only serve 60 and have the rest of the sentence suspended pending "the behavior of the defendant."

Buggs is also not allowed to be in possession of any firearms and cannot own dogs. The 27-year-old plans on appealing the conviction and sentence in circuit court.

According to documents, two dogs that were "severely malnourished, emaciated, neglected” were discovered by Tuscaloosa police and animal control at a residence Buggs had rented. One had to be put down.

Buggs has since denied the allegations, with his agent saying the charges were an effort on behalf of the City of Tuscaloosa and the Tuscaloosa police department to "besmirch Mr. Buggs’ name and reputation as part of an ongoing subversive campaign to force the close of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge.”

Buggs was arrested again in June on second-degree domestic violence and second-degree burglary charges. That case is ongoing.

A former sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buggs spent two seasons with the Detroit Lions from 2022-23. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this offseason but has since been released.