Probation for man who beat two cats to death

Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
·2 min read

Jun. 7—BUFFALO — A 23-year-old Cheektowaga man charged with killing two pet cats by punching them in the head in separate incidents facing a potential prison term of two years was instead sentenced to five years probation on Monday.

Moises L. Germanguerrero, 23, of Cheektowaga, had pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case in early March to one count of aggravated cruelty to animals (Class "E" felony). He pleaded guilty to the highest charge in the indictment against him, according to Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn.

Germanguerrero became the subject of an investigation by SPCA Serving Erie County following the suspicious deaths of his two cats.

On March 29, 2021, Germanguerrero's girlfriend brought a deceased cat to a veterinary hospital. The pet 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, his girlfriend brought a second cat to a different veterinary hospital to be treated for head trauma. The cat 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.

As part of his sentence, the court imposed a no animal order that remains in effect for the next 5 years.

DA Flynn commended 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.

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.