Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 23-year-old Moises L. Germanguerrero of Cheektowaga was sentenced yesterday afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to 5 years of probation.
On March 29, 2021, the defendant’s girlfriend brought a deceased cat to a veterinary hospital. The cat, an 8-month-old male orange tabby named “Hunter,” was taken to the SPCA Serving Erie County where a necropsy determined that the cat died from blunt force trauma to the head. The investigation found that the defendant hit the cat with a closed fist, which resulted in the death of the animal.
On October 18, 2021, the defendant’s girlfriend brought second cat to a different veterinary hospital to be treated for head trauma. The cat, a 7-month-old male tabby named “Lue,” was taken to the SPCA Serving Erie County where it was euthanized due to the severity of the injury. A veterinarian at the SPCA determined the second cat also died from blunt force trauma to the head, which was confirmed by a necropsy. The investigation found that the defendant fatally injured the second cat by hitting the animal in the head with a closed fist.
Germanguerrero pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (Class “E” felony), the highest charge in the indictment against him, on March 7, 2023.
As part of the sentence, our office requested that the Court impose a lifetime ban to prevent the defendant from owning or caring for any animals. The Court imposed a no animal order that remains in effect for the next 5 years.
DA Flynn commends SPCA Serving Erie County Officers Jasil Ivory, Tyler Robertson, Lindsey Wood, and Jennifer Maleskis as well as and Detective Terry Griffin of the Cheektowaga Police Department for their work in this investigation.
“This is a disturbing case of a man who killed his own pets. My office will continue to prosecute animal abusers to the fullest extent of the law. I want thank the SPCA for not only their work in this investigation, but also for the work they do every day to help animals in our community,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Megan E. Mahoney of the Felony Trials Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Garvey of the Animal Cruelty Unit.