Grayslake-area dog-shooting suspect hit with 38 felony charges

A Grayslake-area man accused of shooting a dog outside his house was indicted on 38 felony charges Wednesday.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Michael Mermel said Elvin Dooley, 57, faces a mandatory prison sentence of three to 14 years if convicted of the most serious charges.

Dooley is charged with one count each of aggravated cruelty to animals and animal torture for shooting a black chow mix dog Jan. 26 as it ran near Dooley's house on the 24000 block of Townline Road.

The dog had run off from the nearby Save-A-Pet No-Kill Adoption Center, and an employee of the center told police she saw Dooley use a rifle with a scope mounted on it to shoot at the dog from a window.

When police went to question Dooley about the crime, Mermel said, they found he had 17 firearms including an SXS assault rifle and a .45-caliber carbine in the profile of a Thompson submachine gun.

Dooley, who Mermel said was convicted of burglary in Alabama in 1974, also had several thousand rounds of rifle and handgun ammunition.

The grand jury also approved 18 counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and 18 counts of possession of a weapon without a state Firearms Owner's Identification card against Dooley.

Mermel said if Dooley is convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, he must be sentenced to serve at least three years in prison.

Aggravated cruelty to animals and unlawful possession of a weapon without a state FOI card each carry maximum sentences of three years in prison, but are also punishable by probation.

Animal torture has a maximum penalty of five years in prison, but is also probationable.

Dooley is held on $250,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned March 3.