An Asbury Park man has pleaded guilty to torturing and killing his pet cat last year, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday.
Bani J. Mezquititla, 19, admitted to two counts of animal cruelty after being accused of sexually abusing, restraining, and torturing the cat, leading to its death, authorities said.
Mezquititla, who appeared before state Superior Court Judge Chad N. Cagan, faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on June 13, authorities said. He remains in the Monmouth County jail pending sentencing.
On March 2, 2023, a concerned citizen brought the body of a dead cat to the Asbury Park police headquarters, authorities said.
Police and the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals later determined that Mezquititla was the cat’s owner. He was arrested and charged the same day - before being taken to the the Monmouth County jail.
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Deion Johnson may be reached at djohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Instagram at @DeionRJohnson or X @DeionRJohhnson
