FROM: Jody Pickens, District Attorney General, 26th Judicial District

On November 2, 2026, my office sought and the Madison County, Tennessee, Grand Jury returned an indictment regarding the September 18-19, 2026, death of K9 Bart. The indictment charges former Madison County Sheriff’s Deputy Chloe Megan Swann with one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, a class “E” felony, which carries a potential penalty of 1-2 years in the Tennessee Department of Correction and/or a fine up to $3000. The Defendant’s bond has been set at $5000.00 and she is scheduled to appear for arraignment in Madison County, Tennessee, Circuit Court, Division III on November 9, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.

This being an active, ongoing prosecution, I can have no further comment regarding the matter. An indictment is an accusation and under the law a Defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.