Felony Charge Filed Against Bloomingdale Man Accused of Aggravated Animal Cruelty

DEFENDANT WAS ON PRE-TRIAL RELEASE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AT TIME OF ALLEGED INCIDENT.

HANOVER PARK - DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Hanover Park Chief of Police Andrew Johnson announced that yesterday morning, Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Bloomingdale man accused of killing his son’s emotional support dog, Ace. Sandeep Dhillon, 47 (d.o.b. 10/22/1978) of the 300 block of Stratford Place, appeared in First Appearance Court yesterday morning charged with one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, a Class 4 Felony. Dhillon is currently on pre-trial release in DuPage County for domestic battery, aggravated battery to a peace officer, and assault. The State filed a motion to revoke Dhillon’s pre-trial release on that case. That motion will be heard tomorrow.

On August 17, 2025, at approximately 1:03 p.m., officers with the Hanover Park Police Department responded to the 1900 block of Grosse Point Court, Dhillon’s previous address, regarding possible animal cruelty. Upon their arrival, officers found Ace, a four-year-old mix breed Pitbull who is registered with the US Service Animals Official Service and Support Animal Registration, deceased, lying on the floor covered in a blanket with his head on a pillow. Blood was visible in and around Ace’s mouth and nose and the left side of his face was noticeably more swollen than his right side. Officers also found a small pool of blood on the floor near Ace’s head. Following an investigation, it is alleged that at approximately 12:30 p.m., Dhillon’s children confronted their father about Ace’s whereabouts after finding Ace’s cage empty except for his collar, which appeared to be broken. A short time later, the children found Ace lying on the garage floor, bleeding with a swollen face and a leash knotted around his neck. One of the children called their mother who immediately came home from work and alerted authorities. When processing the scene, officers found a small amount of what appeared to be blood on the exterior metal railing of the sliding glass door that leads to the backyard; a dried red substance and fur stuck to the metal frame of the door jamb; and drops of blood just inside the door, through the kitchen, on the metal threshold of the garage door and on the wood steps into the garage. Officers also found a wooden table leg in the garage with apparent dog hairs stuck to the larger end along with apparent staining. Outside the house, officers found a pillowcase on the backyard patio that was covered in blood and feces. A necropsy conducted by the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine found “dried blood within the fur, front paws, and oral cavity,” and “the left side of the face and dorsal neck skin are markedly swollen.” The necropsy also found “that a significant amount of hemorrhage within the soft tissues of the face and neck are concerning for blunt force trauma,” and “the amount of blood loss was sufficient to have caused death in Ace.” Officers with the Hanover Park Police Department took Dhillon into custody on January 12, 2026.

“It is alleged that Sandeep Dhillon violently killed Ace, who was not just the family dog, but also a registered emotional support dog for one of his children,” Berlin said. “These allegations are simply unconscionable and will be met with the full force of the law. This is a heart-breaking case for all those involved, particularly the children. Because of his alleged actions, Mr. Dhillon is now facing a serious felony charge. I thank the Hanover Park Police Department for their work on this extremely upsetting case as well as the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine for their assistance. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Sean Kinsella and the Office’s Animal Protection Unit consisting of Supervisor Lee Roupas and Assistant State’s Attorneys Alyssa Rabulinski, Anthony Irsuto, Nicole Wilkes-English, Samantha Musick and Alexis Beck all of whom contributed on this very disturbing case resulting in charges against Mr. Dhillon.”

“I would like to thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his dedicated Assistant State’s Attorneys for the unwavering support and guidance they provided to our investigators in seeing that justice was served in this disturbing case,” Johnson said. “Acts of violence against defenseless animals have no place in our community.”

Dhillon’s next court appearance is scheduled for February 9. 2026 in front of Judge Joseph Bugos.

Members of the public are reminded that these complaints contain only charges and are not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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