Former Forest City Council Member, Ex-Wife Charged With Animal Cruelty

Court filings detail allegations involving multiple dogs; both defendants were released on unsecured bonds, no booking photographs entered into public record.

A former Forest City Town Council member and his ex-wife are facing separate animal cruelty charges following arrests on May 6, according to Rutherford District Court records and filings in North Carolina’s eCourts system.

Justin Edward Conner, 42, was charged in case 26CR300140-800 with one felony count and two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals under North Carolina General Statute 14-360.

Court documents allege the felony charge involves the malicious killing of an animal through intentional deprivation of necessary sustenance. Filings reference a small brown dog located at the defendant’s residence. Two additional misdemeanor counts allege deprivation of necessary sustenance involving a medium-sized black-and-white dog and a small brown puppy, both described in investigative records as exhibiting signs consistent with severe neglect.

In a separate case filed the same day, Stacey Conner was charged in case 26CR300131-800 with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and one local ordinance violation. Both cases stem from the same May 6 enforcement action and were investigated by the Forest City Police Department.

Court records show both defendants were arrested on May 6 and released on unsecured bonds the same day. No cash bail was required, though both remain under active prosecution in Rutherford County District Court.

A notable procedural detail in the eCourts record is the absence of booking photographs for either defendant. North Carolina law under G.S. 15A-502 authorizes law enforcement agencies to photograph and fingerprint individuals charged with felonies and certain qualifying misdemeanors, but it does not mandate that a mugshot be taken in every case. The statute leaves implementation to arresting agencies, particularly where identity is already confirmed or where booking procedures differ at the local level.

The Forest City Police Department has not released any public statement regarding the arrests and has not addressed why booking photographs were not taken or entered into the record in either case. 

Court documents also show a post-arrest discovery motion filed in the case against Justin Conner. The filing seeks access to statements, reports, audio and video recordings, witness lists, physical evidence, and other materials as required under North Carolina discovery statutes, including disclosures governed by Brady v. Maryland, which requires prosecutors to provide evidence favorable to the defense.

Conner is a former Forest City Town Council member who lost his re-election bid in 2024. 

A social media account previously linked to Conner also displayed a graphic referencing 2026 and suggesting a possible future campaign for Forest City Town Council. That page is no longer accessible, and no filing has been confirmed. Candidate filing for municipal elections in North Carolina is scheduled to open in July, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Both cases remain pending in Rutherford District Court, with a probable cause hearing set for July 21 for Justin. No further court dispositions have been entered beyond initial appearances and bond conditions.