A Horn Lake man has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of "unnatural intercourse" after prosecutors said he had sex with his family’s dog, a case that began when his then-girlfriend allegedly found video of the acts on his phone and went to police.
The 27-year-old entered a guilty plea Wednesday in DeSoto County court to a single count under the state’s statute. Sentencing has not yet been set, and the judge has ordered him to stay away from the dog, which the family called Toby.
According to WREG, the defendant is Tristan Pipkin. Court papers cited by the station describe Toby as a Great Pyrenees and Labrador mix that was taken out of Pipkin’s custody under a court order once the case came to light.
The Horn Lake Police Department opened an investigation after the video surfaced, seizing the footage and other evidence, according to reporting by WLBT. That earlier report noted Pipkin was arrested, indicted by a grand jury, and later released on bond as the case moved through the courts.
DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton called the conduct "beyond comprehension" and said that someone capable of such behavior "poses a serious concern for any community," WREG reports. Prosecutors say they intend to press their case at sentencing while the court keeps Toby permanently out of Pipkin’s care.
State law and penalties
Mississippi’s "unnatural intercourse" law, Miss. Code Ann. § 97-29-59, makes sex with an animal a felony punishable by up to 10 years in state prison, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund. The maximum penalty reflects the statute’s long history and the state’s decision to place bestiality in the same provision as the older sodomy language.
Local context
Prosecutions under the statute are uncommon but not unprecedented. Last October, Jackson County authorities arrested a man on similar charges involving a pregnant dog, as reported by WLOX. The wording of Mississippi’s law has been the subject of debate in both the Legislature and the courts, and Mississippi Today has detailed efforts to separate the state’s ban on consensual sodomy from its prohibition on sexual acts with animals.
What happens next
Pipkin’s formal sentencing date has not yet been announced, and court records list the case as having been pled and awaiting punishment. If the judge decides on a prison term under the statute, he could face up to a decade behind bars, along with other potential collateral consequences under state law.
For now, Toby remains out of Pipkin’s custody under the court order, and DeSoto County prosecutors say they plan to present evidence at the sentencing hearing. Authorities told reporters that anyone with information related to the case should contact the Horn Lake Police Department.
