Crime & Safety
Man Accused Of Setting Fire To Cat Gets Probation
A 19-year-old man, who was accused of torturing and burning a cat alive when he was 17, was given probation by a Miami-Dade judge.
MIAMI, FL -- A 19-year-old man, who was accused of torturing and burning a cat alive when he was 17, was ordered Friday to perform 100 hours of community service and placed on five years probation, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office. Prosecutors had asked that Roberto Hernandez be given 364 days in jail.
“While we are disappointed with the sentence imposed on Roberto Hernandez, which excluded our recommendation he serve time in jail, it is our sincere hope that this young man who brutally caused the torture and death of a defenseless caged cat, will adhere to any suggested psychological or psychiatric treatment imposed by a duly qualified physician," said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
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Prosecutors said Hernandez was arrested after a 2016 surveillance video showed him dousing a caged cat with accelerant, watching as the animal burned to death, and then feeding the charred remains to his dogs.
Prior to the sentence, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued a statement calling for Hernandez to be given prison time.
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"If the accusations are true, this man set fire to a cat and casually watched as the engulfed animal writhed in agony," said PETA Senior Director Stephanie Bell. "PETA is calling on authorities to make sure that any convictions in this case come with jail time, psychiatric care, and a ban on contact with animals, including during community service."
Hernandez was also ordered to show proof of employment or obtain a GED, undergo psychological evaluation with the deferral of any treatment for one year and submit to judicial monitoring every 30 days, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.
"As I have said many times, research shows that individuals who commit acts of cruelty against helpless and trusting animals don't just stop there," Fernandez Rundle said. "Many of these individuals move on to commit violent acts against their fellow humans."
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