Christopher Sanchez, 29, is charged with third-degree Animal Cruelty by
Unnecessarily or Cruelly Abusing a Living Animal, Resulting in its Death.
An investigation into Sanchez’s activities was initiated on Friday, March 31,
when members of the Howell Township Police Department who were dispatched to a
residence for an unrelated matter found the body of the cat outside the home.
Members of the Howell Township Police Department and the Monmouth County
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Humane Law Enforcement
Division conducted an investigation determining that the cat, named Lilith, had
belonged to Sanchez, who is alleged to have used a sharp instrument to kill it two days
earlier.
Sanchez was charged and arrested on the same day as the initial police response,
then transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) pending a
detention hearing tentatively scheduled to take place in Monmouth County Superior
Court on Wednesday, April 12.
Anyone with information about this matter is urged to contact Howell Township
Police Department Patrolman Sean Heck at 732-938-4111, SPCA Chief of Humane
Law Enforcement Michael Goldfarb at 732-542-0040, or SPCA Lt. Michael Magliozzo
at 732-440-4538.
Convictions on criminal charges of this nature can be punishable by up to five
years in state prison. This case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant
Prosecutors Keri-Leigh Schaefer and Sevan Biramian. Sanchez is being represented by
Aaron Guttenplan, Esq.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until
found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all
of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
