Nassau Man Charged After 4 Kittens Beaten, Tossed In Trash Chute

MINEOLA, NY — A Mineola man has been indicted on animal cruelty charges after authorities said he mutilated four kittens and tossed their bodies down a trash chute.

The abused felines were found Nov. 25 by building workers at The Porter Regency building on Lincoln Avenue. At the time, police said their bodies were bound with duct tape and placed in cardboard boxes and bed sheets.

Three kittens were found with a pillowcase inside a garbage bag in the building’s garbage chute, and a fourth was found in a box addressed to Justin Visconti, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said Tuesday.

Visconti, 38, appeared in court Tuesday on four counts each of aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony, and overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, a misdemeanor. Visconti was released on his own recognizance and was scheduled to appear in court in the case Sept. 2. If convicted of the felony counts, he faces up to two years behind bars.

The district attorney said Visconti repeatedly beat "helpless kittens" and then threw their "mutilated bodies down a garbage chute."

"In addition to this indictment, the defendant was recently rearrested for allegedly possessing yet another cat, in violation of a court order," Singas said in a news release. "Repeatedly beating defenseless animals is shocking to the conscience and my office is committed to holding this defendant accountable for his alleged actions."

Veterinarians determined the animals suffered severe blunt force trauma injuries and police arrested Visconti a day after the grisly discovery.

He was arrested again last week and charged with 2nd-degree criminal contempt, a misdemeanor, after authorities said he was found to be in possession of a cat, a violation of a court order. Visconti was issued a desk appearance ticket in that case and was expected to appear in court Sept. 10.