RELATED: Witness testifies she saw Muskegon man having sex with dog



MUSKEGON, MI – A 36-year-old Muskegon man has been charged with a felony for allegedly sexually assaulting two dogs that were living in his home, police said.

Kurtis Peter Peterson has been arraigned in Muskegon County 60th District Court on one count of crime against nature, or sodomy, a felony punishable up to 15 years in prison.

The charge is also known as bestiality.

However, Peterson is a fourth-time habitual offender, so he could potentially get life in prison if convicted.

A judge set his bond at $250,000. A preliminary examination is slated for June 20.

Police say Peterson sexually stimulated a pit bull belonging to his roommate at his home in the 200 block of Amity Street, where he also allegedly sexually penetrated his own blue heeler dog.

According to the police report, the most recent incident involving the blue heeler occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Monday at the man’s home.

It was allegedly witnessed by someone who had been in his home at the time as she passed his bedroom doorway and noticed the man naked on his bed apparently having sex with the animal, police said.

The man later told police that, while he was naked, he was only petting the dog. He has denied having sexual intercourse or sexually assaulting the dogs, police said.

Police say Peterson has also been witnessed sexually pleasuring the pit bull in the same home and allowed one of the dogs to pleasure him as well when he stepped out of the shower.

One of the dogs remain with Peterson's roommate in the home. The other dog has since been removed, police said.

Peterson’s case is eerily similar to an incident involving a Muskegon man who was convicted of digitally penetrating his dog.

Jose Antonio Sanchez, then 59, was sentenced to prison in 2011 for 17 months to 22 1/2 years for one count of sodomy involving his boxer-mix dog.

The 2 ½- year-old 60-pound female dog in that case was examined by a veterinarian, who confirmed a sexual assault had taken place.

The dog, then known as “White Dog,” was later renamed Stella after she was taken in by Pound Buddies Rescue, authorities said.

Sanchez during a meeting with his parole officer in 2010 admitted the sexual assault, which he said happened at his home in the 200 block of East Grand Avenue. The incident was then reported to police.

Authorities later learned that Sanchez was abused as a child -- including abuse that involved someone using a dog to sodomize Sanchez.

Meanwhile, authorities say Peterson has a criminal history.

According to the court file, Peterson was convicted of attempted fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Allegan County in 1996. In 2010 he was convicted of carrying of concealed weapon in Muskegon County and making a false report of a felony.

Email: hpeters@mlive.com