OCEAN COUNTY – More than a dozen supporters attended arraignment proceedings for Jeffrey Lentz, the Berkeley Township man charged in connection with the death of Ruby, a French bulldog whose case continues drawing attention across Ocean County and beyond.
Lentz appeared before Judge Kimarie Rahill in Ocean County Superior Court following a May 14 indictment returned by an Ocean County grand jury. He is charged with second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, third-degree animal cruelty and related offenses tied to Ruby’s October 3, 2025 death. Lentz is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
During the proceeding, Assistant Prosecutor Eleni Demestihas placed the state’s plea offer on the record. Prosecutors are offering Lentz a five-year New Jersey State Prison sentence with 42 months of parole ineligibility in exchange for a guilty plea to second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The offer also includes a concurrent sentence tied to the animal cruelty charge, along with a prohibition against owning animals.
Demestihas also told the court that additional discovery was still being provided to the defense, including body worn camera footage and crime scene photographs. “I have also requested multiple times for CSI to turn over the photos,” Demestihas said. “I’m still waiting for them to turn those over.”
Many of those attending the hearing have followed developments through the “Justice for Ruby” Facebook page, which now has more than 3,500 followers. The case has drawn sustained attention because of the allegations and the family dynamics surrounding Ruby’s death. Ruby belonged to Nicole and Nick Guarino, who had left the dog in the care of Nicole’s mother and stepfather at a Berkeley Township home.
“It was the first time we left her there for a sleepover,” Nicole previously told Jersey Shore Online. “I trusted them. What daughter wouldn’t trust her parents?”
Investigators previously said Nicole was initially told Ruby had been injured in an animal attack. A veterinarian later determined the French bulldog had been shot, with X-rays revealing a bullet lodged in the dog’s jaw.
Pre-Trial Intervention
Defense attorney Ali Homayouni appeared on behalf of Lentz. He told the court the defense recently received the state’s rejection of Lentz’s application for PTI, short for Pre-Trial Intervention. PTI is a diversionary program sometimes available to defendants with limited or no prior criminal history. Rather than proceeding directly through the traditional criminal sentencing process, eligible participants are supervised for a period of time and can potentially avoid a permanent criminal conviction if they successfully complete the program.
The program is more commonly associated with lower-level indictable offenses, although prosecutors and judges can consider applications involving more serious charges under certain circumstances.
Judge Rahill noted the defense faces a significant legal hurdle in challenging the denial. “Well, as you know, with a PTI appeal, it’s a high burden,” Rahill told defense counsel.
Rahill scheduled oral arguments connected to the PTI appeal for June 23 at 9 a.m. The judge also confirmed that additional motions are anticipated in the case. Homayouni indicated the defense expects to file a motion to suppress evidence depending on the outcome of the PTI proceedings.
Emotional Impact Remains
Outside the courtroom, supporters continued embracing Nicole and Nick Guarino, who have become the public faces of the “Justice for Ruby” movement.
“She wasn’t property. She was family,” Nicole previously said of Ruby. “She was like our child.”
Nicole has continued posting publicly about Ruby in the months since the dog’s death. A few weeks ago, she posted a photograph online showing Ruby asleep beside her. “Seven months of not being able to sleep without you,” Nicole wrote.
The post generated another wave of comments from followers still closely watching the criminal case.
Ruby Resolution In Trenton
The case has also sparked legislative attention in Trenton.
Assembly Joint Resolution 165 and its identical Senate counterpart, Senate Joint Resolution 129, were introduced in the New Jersey Legislature to designate October 3 of each year as “Companion Animal Cruelty Awareness Day” in New Jersey.
The proposed date corresponds with the day Ruby was reported dead.
The Assembly resolution was sponsored by Assemblymen Gregory P. McGuckin, Brian E. Rumpf and Gregory E. Myhre, with Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger listed as a co-sponsor. The Senate version was sponsored by Senators James W. Holzapfel and Carmen F. Amato Jr.
Supporters have increasingly cited the legislation as evidence that Ruby’s case has evolved into something larger than a single criminal prosecution. For many following the case, the courtroom appearances have become less about curiosity and more about ensuring Ruby’s death is not forgotten as the legal proceedings continue.
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