PALMDALE, Calif. – An assistant superintendent in the Palmdale, California school district faces up to 13 years in prison after authorities allege she kept pit bulls for fighting in the home she shared with her boyfriend.

Pauline Ruth Winbush, 52, and her boyfriend Kevin Ray Williams, 50, both face 22 felony charges stemming from a police search of their home in November, the Antelope Valley Times reports.

Animal control officers were alerted to animal issues at the couple’s home in Antelope Acres after their horse was found roaming the streets Oct. 29. Police contend the November search uncovered 19 pit bulls kept in cages filled with urine and feces in the family home that they share with a minor, according to the news site.

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The dogs, which showed signs of dog fighting, were all euthanized, the LA Times reports.

Winbush and Williams were arrested Dec. 29, and each charged with 17 felony counts of animal cruelty, four felony counts for dog fighting and one felony child abuse charge, as well as seven Los Angeles County code violations for unsanitary conditions and failing to register the dogs, Riggs told the media.

The couple pleaded not guilty the following day, and were ordered to return to court for a preliminary hearing Jan. 12, according to media reports.

Palmdale Superintendent Raul Maldonado issued a statement about Winbush’s arrest last week.

“We are deeply troubled by the November 26, 2014 raid on Ms. Winbush’s home by local law enforcement officials and her subsequent arrest and arraignment,” Maldonado said in the statement, according to the Antelope Valley Times.

“The District placed Ms. Winbush on paid administrative leave on December 1, 2014, the first business day after November 26, and commenced its own investigation of her conduct and the circumstances giving rise to the actions of local law enforcement officials. That investigation is ongoing.

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“We are closely monitoring the criminal proceedings against Ms. Winbush. Although such proceedings are public, the District’s investigation and actions involve a personnel matter, and we are therefore precluded from any further comment at this time,” Maldonado wrote.

The LA Times reports that Winbush started her career as an educator in the Los Angeles Unified School District in 1989. She started work in the Palmdale district in 1992 and served as assistant principal, assistant principal and interim superintendent over the years. Her position at the time of her arrest was the assistant superintendent of human resources.

Winbush and Williams both face a maximum of 13 years in prison if convicted on all charges, according to the Antelope Valley Times.

Many who read the news online were clearly troubled by the allegations.

“She’s got no business being an ‘educator,’” affableman posted to the LA Times story.

“People like that are absolutely frightening,” native101 wrote.

Others questioned Winbush’s potential punishment, and how her actions outside of work spill over into her job.

“What? Only 13 years? Should be 30 or more!” wolverine posted to the Antelope Valley Times site.

“These are the people the City of Palmdale hires to educate your children,” Frank Rizzo noted. “Lock her in a cage and feed her feces.”

“There have to be other people out there, that are connected with these people,” bird posted. “That know what was going on at their property, and decided to turn a blind eye. When someone doesn’t speak up, they are allowing neglect/abuse to continue! Abuse of animals carries over to abuse of humans. Someone that has the propensity to neglect/abuse animals, has the propensity to neglect/abuse humans.”