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Man Charged With Poisoning, Killing Almost 50 Fish In Koi Pond Owned By Rhode Island Senator’s Wife

Public/Screenshot/Facebook — User: Heidi Weston Rogers

Alexander Pease Contributor
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A man is facing charges after he allegedly fatally poisoned dozens of fish in a koi pond at a Foster, Rhode Island, motel.

Following a purported dispute with motel management, Jeffrey Gronski sprinkled Miracle-Glo in the water bed that was home to the 45 fish at the Stone House Motor Inn in Foster, WCVB reported Tuesday. The motel is owned by Heidi Weston Rogers, the wife of Republican state Sen. Gordon Rogers, according to the outlet.

Eighteen Koi fish died in addition to roughly 30 large gold fish, Heidi Rogers announced in a Facebook post Friday.

Law enforcement brought Gronski into custody and charged him with malicious injury or killing of animals, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Woman Faces Animal Cruelty Charges After Officials Recover 49 Mini Horses and 39 Chickens)

Heidi Rogers said the suspect was a “long term guest” at the motel prior to his purported disagreement with management.

The alleged disagreement with motel staff came about because Gronski declined to tidy up his belongings in a walkway area and became upset, WCVB reported.

“My grandkids have grown up visiting the pond and love feeding the fish,” Heidi Rogers wrote in the Facebook post. “Thousands of dollars worth of fish and my grandchildren’s priceless memories.”

She said her family installed the koi pond at the motel in 2008 and have been maintaining it ever since.