A Santa Ana man charged with animal cruelty within the killing and maiming of as many as 20 cats, drawing loud public outcry, skipped his arraignment listening to Wednesday morning, in line with authorities who’ve issued a warrant for his arrest.
Alejandro Oliveros Acosta, 46, was charged Monday with two felony counts of cruelty to animals, one felony depend of grand theft of a companion animal and one misdemeanor depend of possession of a managed substance. He was due in an Orange County Superior Courtroom listening to that not less than 25 animal activists had been anticipated to attend Wednesday, the Orange County district legal professional’s workplace mentioned.
However he didn’t present up for the listening to. His bail of $40,000 has been forfeited. The district legal professional’s workplace tried to extend that whole to $100,000 on Wednesday, mentioned Kimberly Edds, public info officer for the district legal professional, who known as Acosta an “immense hazard.”
Previous to Wednesday, Acosta confronted a most sentence of 5 years and 4 months if convicted on all counts, in line with the district legal professional’s workplace.
A 46-year-old man was arrested for animal cruelty involving cats.
(Santa Ana Police)
“That is clearly a case of horrific violence and we actually admire the help of the group,” Edds mentioned.
She added that an animal abuse specialist could be prosecuting the case.
The Occasions was unable to discover a consultant for Acosta, who was initially arrested April 23 by Santa Ana and Westminster police.
Authorities imagine Acosta was behind the deaths of a number of neighborhood cats.
Within the movement to extend the bail, Deputy Dist. Atty. Danica Drotman wrote that Acosta “admitted to killing roughly 20 cats and hanging in a tree roughly two to a few cats.”
Authorities mentioned they discovered carcasses at his dwelling throughout his arrest.
Seven studies of lifeless and injured cats had been filed with Santa Ana Animal Management, together with animals affected by damaged backs and bloody faces, all close to Acosta’s dwelling, between November and April.
Police have mentioned that a number of pet homeowners have positively recognized Acosta as the person who had lured cats away from their properties.
Edds emphasised, nonetheless, that the investigation was nonetheless energetic and that further witnesses had been inspired to contact the Santa Ana or Westminster police departments.
Westminster police are concerned within the investigation as a result of one of many felony prices in opposition to Acosta pertains to the theft on March 21 of a Bengal Lynx cat named Clubber from Eva Corlew of Westminster.
Video surveillance appeared to indicate a person with a can of meals luring the cat earlier than grabbing the animal and driving away in a white Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.
Clubber was finally reunited along with his proprietor, safely.
Authorities allege that Acosta was additionally seen by a neighbor grabbing a cat and slamming it over his head April 3. Drotman wrote within the legal criticism that Acosta maimed, mutilated and tortured that cat. Two days later, Acosta was seen on video surveillance stomping on a cat, in line with the district legal professional’s workplace.
His dwelling turned a flashpoint because it drew a 100-person “Vigil for Justice,” in April, together with pet homeowners and group and animal teams. The gathering was marketed on social media as a peaceable protest nevertheless it turned violent.
A video from Fox 11 information confirmed not less than one protester attempting to wrench open a gate blocking a driveway. Others within the crowd shook a wood fence and shouted on the residence utilizing bullhorns. One protester appeared to spray an aerosol onto the property.
Santa Ana Police mentioned some protesters threw objects at a pair of properties, one the place Acosta lived and one other that belonged to a member of the family that the gang believed was hiding him.
Santa Ana Police confirmed that Acosta was not at both dwelling on the time of the protest.
