An Indiana man with a history of sexually abusing dogs, guinea fowl and chickens is requesting chemical castration instead of prison time!
Michael Bessigano, has asked a federal judge to release him from prison if he undergoes the procedure. The 46-year-old has been a federal inmate since January when he was arrested for allegedly violating his probation.
He was originally sentenced following a 2009 obscenity conviction to 33 months in federal prison by accessing obscene pornographic bestiality material on the internet. He was arrested again in 2013 for sexually abusing a guinea fowl and plead guilty to stealing the bird, earning an additional seven and a half year prison sentence as a habitual offender.
His attorney, Jennifer Soble, requested the courts take into account the time he has already served in prison and argued that he is “motivated by sexual desire, not by sadism or any desire to hurt animals.”
“Mr. Bessigano poses no risk of harm whatsoever to the human members of his community,” said Soble.
He will also undergo therapy and monthly injections of “Depo-Lupron,” a testosterone-reducing drug.
Bessigano has a long history of sexually abusing and killing animals and admitted to sleeping with dead animals as a child! He was first arrested as a youth in 1991 after sexually abusing and killing chickens when he was found in a chicken coop with dead birds at his feet.
His second arrest came after breaking a rooster’s neck and was found in a neighbors goose pen attempting to molest their birds. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and fine.
In 1993, Bessigano began a two year prison term after being found guilty of breaking into a barn and stealing a Rottweiler — then killing the dog by breaking its neck! A month after his release, he was arrested in connection with the attempted theft of a German shepherd.
In 2002, Bessigano served four years in prison for plucking a chicken so he could have sex with it in a motel room before killed the bird!
“Mr. Bessigano’s history is unique; his entire history within both the federal and state systems is entirely animated by his unusual sexual preferences,” said Soble. “Those preferences are almost certainly the result of Mr. Bessigano’s remarkably traumatic childhood; unable to receive or seek affection from his parents, he sought that affection from animals.”
While in jail, Bessigano was seen sleeping under his cot, painting cat-like stripes on his body and making drawings referring to himself as “master of cats.”
