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BEAUMONT — Decorius Mire, 23, pleaded guilty Tuesday to animal crushing before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

The charge is defined under federal criminal law as, “actual conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles or amphibians is purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury.”

According to information presented in court, on Oct. 15, 2021, Mire and a co-defendant encountered a live domestic cat in the parking lot of a Beaumont apartment complex.

The co-defendant, encouraged by Mire, kicked the cat as if kicking a football field goal, propelling the cat approximately 15 to 20 feet through the air.

Mire, of Beaumont, filmed the event with his cellular telephone and posted the video on his social media accounts, where it was commented on and shared with others.

U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston said Mire was indicted by a federal grand jury Sep. 28 and faces up to seven years in federal prison at sentencing.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.