A convicted felon caught abusing a dog in widely circulated social media posts last year was sentenced to prison Monday on animal cruelty and a weapons charge.

Thomas Joshua Reynolds, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to five years in prison on the two felony counts and to 365 days in the county jail on the misdemeanor cruelty count.

Judge Thomas West of 19th State District Court pronounced Reynolds guilty and sentenced him in accordance with Reynolds’ plea bargain with the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office.

The weapons charge was based on Reynolds’ 2023 conviction for possession of heroin, court records show.

Reynolds’ animal cruelty case drew widespread attention after Lacy Lakeview police shared a video of a man mistreating a dog and asked for the public’s help to identify him.

The video was captured on a surveillance camera at a Lacy Lakeview business and was shared on social media.

The Lacy Lakeview Police Department was awarded custody of Chase, the dog Reynolds mistreated, and he has since been adopted by Lacy Lakeview police officer Nathan Rodriguez.

The indictment against Reynolds stated that he “intentionally, knowingly, and recklessly harmed” the dog by yanking on his leash, lifting him off the ground and striking the dog and throwing him to the ground. It also stated that Reynolds lifted the dog off the ground by the neck.

Reynolds also failed to provide adequate care, including veterinary care, for Chase, according to the indictment.