Fraud charges for Chandler woman accused of animal abuse

By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

A woman has been jailed and charged with multiple additional crimes she allegedly committed while she was running an animal rescue out of her Chandler home.

April McLaughlin, also known as Sydney Taylor and Sydney McKinley, ran a dog rescue organization out of her home in the 1700 block of East Kesler Lane.

More than a year after her initial arrest, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced McLaughlin’s indictment on various fraud charges on Monday, Sept. 30.

McLaughlin, 49, is being charged related to the animal abuse case for which she was arrested earlier this year.

Mitchell said in a written statement that following the removal of about 55 dogs from McLaughlin’s home in September 2023, Chandler Police began a fraud investigation into McLaughlin and her rescue organization.

Police allege McLaughlin deceived multiple dog owners and rescue organizations from across the country to obtain dogs that needed specialized care, the statement reads.

Mitchell says McGlaughlin falsely claimed dogs in her care had access to veterinarians, treatments, therapies and foster homes.

McLaughlin is accused of using her nonprofit in that fraud.

The nonprofit was called Special Needs Animal Welfare League, or SNAWL. The indictment says McGlaughlin solicited donations and receiving more than $47,000 in cash and supplies.

Police also learned, the statement reads, McLaughlin stole more than $160,000 from her elderly mother’s bank account and charged more than $20,000 on her mother’s credit card. The funds were used for home expenses, flights, restaurants and other costs, the county alleges.

McLaughlin is currently being held in jail.

After her initial September 2023 arrest, McLaughlin was jailed and charged with both city of Chandler and state crimes. Mitchell sent the state crimes case back to Chandler Police for more information and refiling at a later date, while a Chandler prosecutor charged McLaughlin with 77 misdemeanor counts surrounding animal cruelty.

A municipal court judge ruled in October 2023 that McGlaughlin could not bring home 13 animals the defendant considered family pets.

McLaughlin has had her Chandler Municipal Court pretrial conference postponed several times. She is due back on Oct. 24 on the city’s charges.

It’s unclear how the new indictment will affect any case progression. At least one of McLaughlin’s Maricopa County Superior Court entry shows an online entry for an Aug. 12 “complex case joint case management report” and a trial vacated.

Her cases remain part of an open and ongoing investigation, the city of Chandler said on an updates webpage about McLaughlin’s misdemeanor cases.

McLaughlin’s new indictment includes these felony charges:

• One count of fraudulent schemes and artifices, a class 2 felony;

• Two counts of theft, a class 2 felony;

• One count of aggravated taking the identity of another, a class 3 felony;

• One count of fraudulent schemes and practices, willful concealment, a class 5 felony;

• One count of theft from a vulnerable adult, a class 2 felony;

• One count of theft (unlawful use of a power of attorney), a class 2 felony;

• One count of theft of credit card or obtaining a credit card by fraudulent means, a class 5 felony.

We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic.  Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org.

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.