A Harlem man convicted in the death of two puppies inside an apartment he intentionally set ablaze was sentenced to three to six years in state prison Thursday.
Wattie Folk, 55, was also barred from owning an animal for a decade, plus ordered to be listed on the New York City Animal Cruelty Registry, for the June 24, 2022, incident at his Manhattan Supreme Court sentencing.
Folk pleaded guilty to arson and aggravated animal cruelty last month, admitting he lit a fire in the bedroom of his friend’s place on W. 112th St. after an argument that turned physical and then fled.
Trapped in the inferno — that destroyed the apartment and all of the tenant’s belongings — were a 3-year-old pit bull and six puppies, two of whom were killed.
The surviving, soot-covered pups required veterinary treatment for severe dehydration, coughing and carbon monoxide exposure, according to court records.
About a year after the incident, in April 2023, Folk was arrested after admitting to his actions to detectives at the 28th Precinct, according to court records.
“I put a match on the pile of clothes and started the fire for revenge,” he told detectives. “I knew that the dogs were inside of the apartment. The door auto-locked behind me when I left.”
In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg described Folk’s actions as “reckless.”
“Today, Wattie Folk is facing accountability for intentionally setting his friend’s apartment on fire,” Bragg said. “His reckless actions endangered tenants, destroyed property, killed two puppies and severely injured five dogs.
“Those who endanger the lives of people and animals in their homes will be held accountable.”
Reached for comment, Folk’s attorney from the Legal Aid Society, Rebecca Heinsen, said his mental health struggles had played a significant role in the incident and that he was grateful for the term handed down by State Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro.
“There was external mitigation presented regarding Mr. Folk’s medical issues, trauma history and mental health history,” Heinsen said.
“He thanks the court for the sentence he received.”