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A Suffolk pair has now been sentenced on charges of crimes against nature and cruelty to animals.

Richard Allen Patterson was sentenced in February to serve two years after being found guilty of two counts of crimes against nature and two counts of cruelty to animals.

His wife at the time of the offenses, Christina Danielle Patterson, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 10. She received a suspended sentence for one count of each charge.

The investigation into the Pattersons began in July 2017. They lived in the 2400 block of Freeman Mill Road.

A search warrant involving Richard Patterson’s business, Imperial K-9 LLC, was executed by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The agency was seeking evidence that Patterson, a convicted felon, had firearms in his possession.

A subsequent search of computers from the residence revealed videos of the couple engaged in acts of bestiality with a dog, according to a city press release from the time of their arrest.

The bestiality charges were investigated by the Suffolk Police Department.

Prosecutor Susan Walton stated at Christina Patterson’s sentencing on Friday that Richard Patterson was “the primary character who instigated this entire incident.” Richard Patterson was also extremely controlling, according to statements in court on Friday.

However, Christina Patterson had agreed to testify against him and took responsibility for her actions, which helped her case, Walton stated.

The Pattersons will not be able to own any companion animals as a condition of their suspended time.

Both of the Pattersons have also received prison time for the original firearms charges. In July 2018, Christina Patterson was sentenced to 12 months in prison and six months of house arrest for helping her husband possess firearms after he was convicted of a felony and attempting to obstruct the investigation against him. In November 2018, Richard Patterson was sentenced to 100 months on two federal charges, possessing a firearm while a convicted felon and obstruction of justice.