Former Rabun Shelter Director Loses Sentence Appeal

By Charles Robertson, WRBN Radio, Clayton

The former director of the Boggs Mountain Animal Shelter in Rabun County is denied a motion for a reduced sentence.

Lowanda “Peanut” Kilby was in a Rabun County Courtroom Tuesday before Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Russell Smith.

Her attorney, Tim Healy, argued for a reduction in her sentence from the original 15 years in prison and an additional 10 years probation.

Healy said the sentence was unfair and not in compliance with other sentences handed down in the state in similar cases.

Also, Healy said the media caused Kilby to have an unfair trial.

However, Judge Smith denied Kilby’s request.

Kilby was sentenced back in the Spring after being convicted on some 60 counts, including charges of theft and racketeering,

She was charged with fraudulently taking donations intended for the Boggs Mountain Animal Shelter’s “Lucky Dog/Lucky Kitty” programs.

Prosecutors said she took the money and then euthanized most of the dogs and cats in the program, animals she promised on the shelter’s web site would be placed into new homes, and transferred money donated into the program into her personal bank account without the knowledge or approval of the Boggs Mountain shelter board.