GERRY — A town resident is facing animal cruelty charges after Chautauqua County sheriff’s deputies found a dead ball python in his residence.

On March 19 at about 06:30 p.m. deputies were dispatched to a Route 380 address. After an investigation, it was found that Austin Billick, 23, neglected to care for the reptile, which was found deceased inside its enclosure with no food, water or heat source that is required for a ball python’s survival.

Billick was charged with overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance and will answer charges later in town court.