A 19-year-old man was convicted Friday of having sex with his sister's puppy at her Vinton home last year.

Frank Dalton Underwood pleaded no contest in Roanoke County Circuit Court to the felony charge of having carnal knowledge of a brute animal.

A sentencing hearing was scheduled for June 29. The maximum possible punishment Underwood could face is five years in prison.

The conviction stems from a Nov. 19 incident at the home of Underwood's sister and her husband on Old Virginia Avenue. Underwood had been staying at the house for a couple of months, his lawyer, Paul Dull, has said. The couple went out on an errand and left their 9-week-old pit bull in Underwood's care.

They returned and noticed injuries to the dog. They confronted Underwood and called Vinton police.

Underwood admitted to authorities that he had anal sex with the pit bull, said Patrick Buchanan, an assistant commonwealth's attorney.

The dog has recovered from its injuries, authorities said. The couple voluntarily gave the dog to new owners.

-- Reed Williams