CLEARWATER -- A man who killed a peacock and stuffed the carcass in his freezer has pleaded guilty to an animal cruelty charge and been sentenced to probation.

Randall J. Konarik, 35, was arrested in June after Clearwater police discovered he had captured a peacock in Dunedin, then brought it to his Palm Street home, tied it to a brick and killed it.

When police talked to Konarik, he told them he struck the bird in the head with a rock, then kicked it. He told police he then picked up the bird by its wings and feet and carried it 2 miles to his home, an arrest affidavit states.

Konarik told police the bird struggled during the walk, which he said "caused the bird to die from heat exhaustion a few hours later," an arrest report states. Konarik said the death was accidental and occurred while he was trying to relocate the bird.

Once the bird was dead, Konarik removed the bird's wings, claws and some of its feathers. When asked why, he told officers: "Because that's what hunters do," the arrest report states.

He then skinned the bird and placed it in his freezer to eat later, police said.

Konarik pleaded guilty to the charge on Thursday and was sentenced to two years of probation. Judgment against him was withheld. He also was ordered to pay $2,500 in fines and costs, court records show.

Man gets nine months in jail, probation in beating

CLEARWATER -- A man was sentenced to nine months in jail last month after pleading guilty to beating a man in Clearwater.

Phillip J. Delwiche, 27, initially was charged Jan. 8 with attempted murder, but prosecutors changed that to felony battery in April. Investigators said Delwiche beat Ronald R. Beckman into unconsciousness in the 1800 block of Stancel Drive.

Delwiche pleaded guilty to the charge last month and was sentenced to nine months in jail, with 95 days credit for time already served. The sentence will be followed by four years of probation. He also must pay Beckman $2,000 and have no contact with him, court records show.

Home improvement scam artist given probation

CLEARWATER -- A Palm Harbor businessman charged with overbilling customers for poor home-improvement work pleaded guilty to grand theft and unlicensed contracting charges last month and was sentenced to probation.

Richard J. Anderson, 40, posed as a representative for several local contractors when he solicited for home improvement work and wrote up contracts with customers, authorities said.

In fact, he wasn't working for those contractors, and they did not know he was claiming to represent them.

Anderson, who investigators say was unlicensed as a contractor or solicitor, then overcharged those customers and did shoddy or incomplete work, she said.

Anderson, who was arrested in February, was sentenced to five years of probation.

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