The prosecution is seeking jail time for a former Fairfield official who's accused of killing one cat and torturing another last year.

Ray Neuberger is charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty. Neuberger is also accused of domestic violence and threatening police. He was arrested three times over a five-month period.

Neuberger appeared in Bridgeport Superior Court Friday where he was expected to take a plea deal. Instead, both sides said that will likely happen at his next hearing. In court, Neuberger applied for the Family Violence Education Program, a diversionary program that if granted, could lead to the domestic violence case being wiped from his record.

But Assistant State's Attorney Andres Bermudez Hallstrom was clear that application has nothing to do with animal cruelty cases.

"The state is looking for incarceration on the malicious wounding cases," Bermudez Hallstrom told the judge. He did not elaborate on how much time he's seeking.

Neuberger is accused of dousing a cat in bleach and beating it to death. He also allegedly used chemicals to burn another cat, causing serious injuries and the cat's tail to be amputated. Both animals belonged to his girlfriend at the time. He's also charged with third-degree assault and disorderly conduct for a domestic violence incident with her.

Neuberger has faced animal cruelty charges before. Police first arrested him in 2018 on allegations he abused two dogs who belonged to his fiancé at the time. Neuberger was accused of pouring boiling water on one dog and fracturing the other dog's ribs. He served 43 days in jail and had to make a $25,000 donation to the Bridgeport Animal Shelter. In exchange, Neuberger received accelerated rehabilitation, a probation program that once successfully completed allowed the charges to be dismissed.

He was arrested again last October, then in February, and again in March. The most recent case accuses him of threatening and harassing police. It led the judge to raise Neuberger's bond by $1,000,000. He's been in custody at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institute since then, but in court, his attorney asked for a bond reduction to just below $500,000.

"There's no intention of posting it. It really just would have to do with his placement in corrections where he's residing and will continue to be," explained attorney John Gulash.

Bermudez Hallstrom disagreed. He said the bond was reasonable and noted Neuberger was out on bond when he allegedly texted death threats to the detective on his pending cases while searching online for weapons and destructive devices.

The judge denied the bond request.

Neuberger is due back in court Nov. 28.

Neuberger is a former Representative Town Meeting member for Fairfield who served from 2013-2017. He also ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature in 2016.