Defendant Sentenced for Felony Malicious, Intentional Animal Cruelty w/Weapon
DATE: September 18, 2020
CASE: Emmanuel Martinez (Case #18FE024283)
PROSECUTOR: Principal Criminal Attorney Hilary Bagley- Franzoia, Animal Cruelty Unit
On September 10, 2020, Emmanuel Martinez pled to felony malicious and intentional animal cruelty. He also admitted to the enhancement that he used a dangerous weapon during the commission of the offense. The weapon admission makes the animal cruelty charge a strike offense under California’s Three Strikes law. Martinez was immediately sentenced to 1 year in county jail. After serving his jail time, he will be prohibited from owning, possessing or residing with animals for 10 years.
On December 19, 2018, Martinez was living in an encampment within the City of Sacramento. Rangers responded to a call informing them that Martinez was seen beating his dog with a 2½ foot stick. When the officers arrived on the scene, they found a young female shepherd that belonged to Martinez tethered to his tent. The dog, named Mamacita, sustained a bloody nose and her left eye was swollen shut. The dog was seized for medical treatment along with the stick Martinez used to beat the dog. The stick was approximately 1 inch thick.
Martinez was arrested but later made bail with a condition he not to possess any animals during pendency of his case. When he failed to appear for his scheduled preliminary hearing in April 2019, a bench warrant was issued. Meanwhile, Mamacita recovered at Front Street Animal Shelter and was subsequently re-homed. Martinez remained outstanding for 16 months until he was featured by Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers. Two weeks after the crime alert was issued on Martinez, he was found in an encampment with two dogs and re-arrested on September 1, 2020. Both dogs were seized at the time of his arrest and are in the process of being re-homed.
