Man With History Of Mistreating Dogs Denied Pretrial Release: Documents

A McHenry County man who has a history of mistreating pit bulls is behind bars again and is expected to soon appear for a bench trial.

On February 19, a McHenry County judge granted a state motion to deny pretrial release for Jason Pastryk, 29, who is charged in two separate animal cruelty cases in McHenry County. McHenry County Judge Justin Hansen granted the revocation of pretrial release filed by the state, which alleges Pastryk committed two very similar offenses in a 2024 animal cruelty case as well as in a recent case filed.

"The cases are factually similar and in both cases the defendant showed a willingness to starve, poorly house, and mistreat animals to the point of emaciation and death," according to the documents filed in McHenry County Circuit Court and provided to Patch.

Pastryk also did not appear in court for hearings for the recent case and even after a warrant was filed for his arrest, prosecutors said.

"Therefore, there is no combination of conditions that will prevent him from committing new offesnes or ensure that he will appear in court," according to court documents filed in McHenry County Circuit Court.

In the recent case, authorities allege finding two of the pit bulls on Pastryk's property — that were named Max and Eleven — showing signs of starvation and that were infested with flea and tick bites. The dogs were also found with urine burns on multiple parts of her body during the police visit in September 2025, according to court documents.

As for the 2024 case, Pastryk is accused of starving two different pit bulls, named Karma and Meatball, to the point that the animals became emaciated, according to the complaint, which was filed a year earlier in September 2024 in McHenry County Circuit Court.

A bench trial has been set for March 4 for the 2024 animal cruelty case.