A Knoxville man who tortured a puppy and made threats towards law enforcement officers received a suspended sentence. According to court documents, 36-year-old Nathan Adams was sentenced to time served, with the rest of his two year term suspended. He was put on probation for two years as well as ordered to pay $3,125 in fines after he plead guilty to four counts of harassment first degree as well as one count of animal torture. Court documents also show the Marion County Attorney’s Office recommended a prison sentence for Adams but District Court Judge Richard Clogg suspended the sentence instead.

The charges stemmed from an incident which occurred in October of 2019 in which Adams threatened to place car bombs in law enforcement personal vehicles as well as place package bombs at law enforcement residences. Adams also made specific death threats to a Marion County Dispatcher, a Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy and two Knoxville Police Officers. During the investigation into the threats made, officers executed a search warrant at Adams home where officers located a six month old female puppy in a kennel in the garage of the residence. The kennel was full of urine and feces, with an emaciated puppy barely able to walk. Following an examination of the puppy, the puppy was found to be severely malnourished with two broken rear legs and a puncture wound on the top of its head.