- Phoenix, Arizona, USA -
UPDATE: March 28, 2021
On Wednesday, March 24, 21-year-old NETZER ALEXANDER VILLAGOMEZ (pictured below), pleaded guilty to a class 5 felony charge of animal cruelty.
For the first time in Arizona an animal abuser is guilty of a class 5 felony rather than a class 6 felony.
The Arizona Humane Society wrote in the Facebook post that announced the update on this case: “The case marks a victory in the ongoing fight to stop animal cruelty because it is the first AHS animal abuse case to be booked and sentenced under HB2671, which strengthens Arizona’s animal cruelty laws and to ensure that the punishment for the most heinous acts of animal cruelty now more appropriately fit the crime.”
azfamily.com reports that VILLAGOMEZ was sentenced to 120 days in jail, three years of supervised probation, and 360 hours of community service.
VILLAGOMEZ was also ordered to have a mental health assessment, attend anger management counseling, and undergo drug monitoring and counseling.
Additionally, VILLAGOMEZ cannot have any animals until his probation expires, and he also has to pay restitution to the Arizona Humane Society.
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~ Original story:
19-year-old NETZER VILLAGOMEZ was arrested by Phoenix Police and faces charges of animal cruelty.
Police said that VILLAGOMEZ, who has now been expelled by Grand Canyon University, hung twice his service dog, a Pug named Miso, by his collar and leash.
azfamily reports that the accused then sent pictures and videos of the abuse to his girlfriend.
The Arizona Humane Society (AHS) have posted on their Facebook page that on Monday, September 23, an investigator “responded to a suspected case of animal cruelty involving a Pug, Miso.”
The furbaby was taken to AHS’ trauma hospital to be examined.
X-rays revealed that Miso had a broken tooth, two broken ribs and his pelvis was also fractured.
AHS also said that “bloodwork revealed elevated liver values consistent with acute injuries.”
Miso will remain under the care of AHS’s trauma team indefinitely.
This case is the first under the new animal cruelty law which went into effect on August 27, 2019.
This means that VILLAGOMEZ’s case has been booked as a class 5 felony which in Arizona in now punishable by more than a year in prison.
He is due in court October 10 for a status conference and October 16 for a preliminary hearing.
Pictures by: azfamily.com
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