A former Union County, Ohio humane agent who falsely claimed to rehabilitate aggressive dogs was sentenced to 15 years and six months in prison, a case that originated with an investigation by a Campbell, Ohio, police detective, prosecutors said.

Steffen Baldwin, who ran a company called ACT Ohio, was sentenced by visiting Judge Daniel Hogan after being convicted on 32 of 39 counts, the Union County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said in a statement. The charges included bribery, telecommunications fraud, tampering with records, theft of a firearm, cruelty to companion animals, theft, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

The investigation began after Campbell Police Detective Jim Conroy brought his findings to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

"Baldwin’s lies came to the attention of Campbell, Ohio police detective Jim Conroy who investigated and brought his investigation to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office," the prosecutor's office said.

"There would be nights I would come across another dog that had suffered that fate. It would just bother me and it would be hard to sleep. It really is disturbing," Conroy told 21 News.

Baldwin, who purported to be a "dog whisperer," used his position as a humane agent and social media to gain the trust of shelters and dog lovers, raising money for ACT Ohio under the guise of supporting rescued dogs. Investigators found at least 18 dogs were euthanized or died in the three years.

During the three-week trial in January prosecutors presented testimony from 55 witnesses, including Jennifer Falvey, a certified dog trainer and owner of Dogsmartz Unleashed LLC in Mahoning County. Falvey was one of three experts who testified for the state.

Prosecutors said Baldwin solicited $1,000 from a rescue organization to remove a "dangerous dog" designation from a dog named Remi, but instead euthanized the animal. He then created false records and social media posts to deceive the organization.

The investigation involved more than 77,000 pages of evidence, and Baldwin was indicted in 2020.

In addition to the prison sentence, Baldwin was prohibited from ever owning or caring for companion animals again.