LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Justice being handed down to a valley pet business owner. Victor Garcia-Herrera will be spending time in jail starting Thursday, after being sentenced on animal abuse charges after agreeing to a plea deal.
"In accordance with the law, I'm judging you guilty of the crime of attempted cruelty to animals, a gross misdemeanor."
Judge Christy Craig making her decision known to Victor Garcia-Herrera Thursday morning in court. Garcia-Herrera faced charges of attempted animal cruelty after several dogs died at or shortly after being at PawZazz his pet boarding business in the east valley. This included Mora, a dog Gina Grieson with Nevada Voters for Animals helped rescue. Mora died after several days in July.
RELATED STORY: Animal activists rally as Las Vegas pet boarding business owner defends himself
"When we tell owners to trust us to give your pet a better life, by putting them in a rescue, then we trust others to care for these precious souls,” she said.
Judge Craig made it clear he cannot work or be around with animals, including his own three dogs for five years.
"You're going to have to place the dogs somewhere else and you can't visit with them or anything. You understand that?" she said.
RELATED STORY: Nevada could release some convicted animal abusers early. Here's why
The owner made an agreement with the district attorney's office known as an Alford plea. This means Garcia-Herrera pleads guilty but maintains his innocence. He understands the evidence is so strong, a jury would find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
He says he made the deal to protect his family's safety after harassment on social media. He says his business was also vandalized and wanted to protect that which will now be run by his wife. Garcia-Herrera continues to deny any abuse happened on his part.
Grieson and other animal activists asked the judge to shut down the business saying abuse could still happen.
"To find out that the wife is going to run it, this case is now worse now because it's one less person to help run this facility that I will say a house of horror for animals,” she said.
Judge Craig said closing a business is not under her authority. She sentenced the owner to a one year suspended prison sentence to be served through probation with the first 11 days served in county jail. Garcia-Herrera was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs at the end of the hearing.
