Three Cornell Township residents accused of neglecting and abusing dozens of animals on their Delta County property have finally been formally charged, six months after state troopers first found dead and starving cats, rabbits, and livestock on the land. Brianna Makoskey, 23, Kruzz Makoskey, 22, and Nichole Jarvey, 45, were arraigned Aug. 3 in 94th District Court in Escanaba on one felony count each of abandoning or cruelty involving 25 or more animals, along with eight misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty resulting in an animal's death.
According to The Detroit News, the case dates back to Feb. 3, 2026, when Michigan State Police troopers with the Gladstone post opened an investigation after receiving a report of suspected animal neglect at a property on County Road 426 in Cornell Township. Troopers executed a search warrant the next day and found the animals in poor condition, including 14 malnourished cats, 12 malnourished rabbits, and one malnourished sheep, along with several dead animals including cats, rabbits, pigs, and goats. All of the surviving animals were removed from the property by officials.
During the Feb. 4 search, Brianna Makoskey allegedly argued with troopers and refused to comply with their commands, per the Detroit News report. She allegedly bit one trooper on the wrist and tried to bite another, then continued fighting with police after being told she was under arrest. Troopers took her into custody and transported her to the Delta County Jail, where she was charged with three felony counts of resisting a police officer.
A Competency Evaluation Paused the Case for Months
Makoskey's criminal proceedings stalled almost immediately. She was released on a $4,000 bond on Feb. 11 pending a state-ordered mental health evaluation, and her case did not move forward again until July, when a court-ordered competency evaluation deemed her fit to stand trial, according to the Daily Press. That evaluation was one of two major factors behind the six-month gap between the initial raid and the formal filing of animal cruelty charges this month, alongside the time state police and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development needed to compile complete investigation reports.
Under Michigan Compiled Laws 750.81d, assaulting, resisting, or obstructing a police officer performing official duties is a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000 per count, though resisting a police officer causing an injury requiring medical care is punishable by up to four years in prison. The Detroit News reports each of the three felony resisting counts against Makoskey falls under that framework.
Prior State Scrutiny of the Same Property
The Cornell Township address was not unfamiliar to authorities before the February raid. Delta County Prosecuting Attorney Lauren Wickman has said MDARD had previously investigated animal care at the property as recently as October 2025 and recommended corrective actions, according to The Mining Journal. MDARD's earlier findings were reviewed alongside police reports before charges were filed.
The Daily Press also reports that Delta Animal Shelter staff had prior contact with the residence, including seizing a horse from the property during the summer before the February raid — meaning shelter personnel assisted state troopers during both enforcement actions. Once the 13 cats, 12 rabbits, and one sheep from the February search were taken into the shelter's custody, two pregnant rescued cats gave birth to 10 kittens and a rabbit gave birth to two kits while in protective care, growing the number of animals the shelter has had to support.
Charges, Bond Conditions, and What Comes Next
At the Aug. 3 arraignment, a judge set bond at $10,000 cash or surety for each defendant and barred all three from owning or possessing any animals while the case proceeds, per The Mining Journal. The judge also imposed strict no-contact orders regarding multiple witnesses. The Detroit News reports the defendants' next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20, and that attorneys for the defendants were unavailable for comment as of Thursday.
If convicted on the felony animal cruelty count, each defendant faces up to seven years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, and up to 500 hours of community service under Michigan Compiled Laws 750.50. Each of the eight misdemeanor animal cruelty counts carries a maximum of up to 93 days in jail and a $2,000 fine, and those misdemeanor counts specifically account for the dead cats, rabbits, pigs, and goats discovered on the property.
The months-long wait for charges frustrated Upper Peninsula animal welfare advocates, who mounted social media campaigns pressing prosecutors to act following the February raid. Wickman has said her office could not authorize charges until it received completed investigation reports from state police and MDARD. Under Michigan law, animal owners whose pets or livestock are seized during cruelty investigations must request a court hearing or post a cost-of-care bond within 14 days to prevent permanent forfeiture, a civil process separate from the criminal charges now moving through 94th District Court.
