Always gets plead down. Always. The case where the kids doused lighter fluid on a rabbits’ ears and lit them on fire, the case of lucky bunny who had explosives taped to her and lit and thrown into a lake - videotaped - all these kinds of cases get plead down evne with overwhelming evidence AND people sending letters to the DAs to go for the max. Even if DA does sentences may not be handed out to the max.
If it doesn’t I will be extremely (and happily) surprised.
Any plea that doesn't include a lengthy probationary period along with intense psychological evaluation, treatment and perhaps even medication, is a mistake.
As others have pointed out, the torturing and mutilation of animals is symptomatic of much larger, and more dangerous personality disorders.