A former University of Mississippi vice chancellor for student affairs no longer faces animal abuse charges stemming from the discovery of malnourished dogs and remains on property she and her husband own.
Lafayette County Circuit Judge Gray Tollison dismissed 10 felony charges and 10 misdemeanor counts against Charlotte Fant Pegues because her husband and co-defendant, Terry Pegues, “testified at trial he was the sole provider for the dogs at issue,” according to a Wednesday order.
In August 2024, Lafayette County sheriff’s deputies went to the couple’s rural property south of Oxford and found several bulldog puppies caged “in a cruel matter,” a burned dog, a dog skeleton and a German Shepard mix dead in a kennel, according to the indictment for Fant Pegues and Pegues.
Deputies found dogs alive, including several that were malnourished, court records state. Ten were found dead, including some that still had collars and chains attached to them.
Graham Carner, Fant Pegues’ attorney, said she plans to move forward after maintaining her innocence for the past two years.
“While the dismissal vindicates her from a legal standpoint, she has been severely damaged from these rushed and baseless charges. Dr. Pegues lost her career, and the reputation that she built over a lifetime has been irreparably harmed,” Carner said in a Monday statement.
Charlotte Fant Pegues Credit: University of MississippiFant Pegues worked at Ole Miss from 1993 until 2025 in roles such as assistant provost and director of admissions. She began serving as vice chancellor for student affairs in 2019 when she was appointed on an interim basis. Fant Pegues went on personal leave after the indictment and retired July 1, 2025, Ole Miss spokesperson Jacob Batte confirmed.
Batte declined to comment Monday about the dismissed charges. In a statement around the time Fant Pegues was indicted, he said Ole Miss leaders were “deeply disturbed and appalled by any instance of animal cruelty” and clarified in a later statement that the charges did not result from any actions taken at or for the university.
Fant Pegues’ charges were dismissed two weeks after her husband’s trial.
A jury convicted Pegues on five counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and sentenced him to a maximum six months per charge to run consecutively. Tollison suspended six months of the sentence, leaving Pegues to serve two years in the Lafayette County Detention Center.
The judge prohibited him from owning, possessing or living with a dog for 15 years, according to Pegues’ sentencing order. The sheriff’s office is permitted to make unannounced visits to make sure he is following the court’s prohibition after release for six months.
The court also ordered Pegues to pay a $1,000 fine for four counts, totaling $4,000.
The jury acquitted him of five misdemeanor cruelty charges and eight felony charges of aggravated animal cruelty. It declared a mistrial for two felony charges, meaning prosecutors could retry them with a new jury, dismiss them or reach a plea deal.
Pegues told Mississippi Today in 2024 that he was “asking for a federal investigation due to false facts.”
Molly Minta contributed to this report.
Hence then, the article about court drops animal abuse charges against former ole miss vice chancellor fant pegues was published today ( ) and is available on Mississippi Today ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Court drops animal abuse charges against former Ole Miss Vice Chancellor Fant Pegues )
Also on site :
- 1967 Blue-Eyed Soul Hit Became a Solo Smash for a Teen Idol 5 Years Later
- 48 Years Ago, Kristy McNichol Stole Burt Reynolds’ Heart With an Unforgettable Serenade of a '60s Girl-Group Hit
- Exclusivo: El Mando Central de EE.UU. pide a los oficiales ideas “creativas y poco convencionales” para castigar a Irán