Sunday, November 22, 2015

Due to ‘Pit Bulls and Parolees’ Lawsuit, New Villalobos Sanctuary Planned

As I wrote at the time in a story for i Love Dogs (that happened to be briefly featured in the “Pit Bulls and Parolees” episode, “New Orleans, Here We Come”), Kern County officials denied a request by Tia Torres, owner of the rescue and rehabilitation facility, to move VRC from Agua Dulce to Tehachapi, Calif.
So Torres packed up the dogs and relocated VRC to a former warehouse in New Orleans, where things have gone more smoothly. The shelter even survived natural disasters, including Hurricane Isaac in 2012.
But VRC may now be facing one of its biggest challenges ever. A lawsuit filed June 13 by Jennifer Stampfel claims that Toney Converse, one of the parolees featured on the reality show, “drugged her, raped her twice, stole her virginity, transmitted an STD to her, impregnated (her) and threatened to kill her,” according to theNew Orleans Advocate.
Stampfel, a seminary student from Pittsburgh, Pa., wanted her name to be made public to “bring awareness to the situation,” her attorney, Charles Marshall III, told news sources.
In addition to Converse, Stampfel is suing Torres, VRC, Tahyo Tavern (a bar owned by Torres) and 44 Blue, the production company for “Pit Bulls and Parolees,” all for failure to supervise the former Tulane Green Wave running back who served more than eight years of an 18-year sentence from a 2002 drug conviction.
According to the Times-Picayune, Stampfel wants a trial by jury as well as general and special damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish and emotional distress. The lawsuit does not mention a dollar amount.

1 comment:

  1. Update June 22 2016, New Orleans DA will not be prosecuting Toney Converse. The "victim" was an attention-seeking nut.
    http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/orleans-da-will-not-prosecute-reality-tv-star-accused-of-rape/39851296

    ReplyDelete