Dog Killer Gets the Maximum

A man who killed his aunt’s dog in Springs in December was sentenced last week to two years in jail, the statutory limit on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty. 

Jose J. Galvez-Garcia, who turned 22 while behind bars, will serve the time in the county jail rather than a state prison, said Stephen Grossman, his attorney. Mr. Galvez-Garcia pleaded guilty last month to a Class E felony under State Agriculture and Markets Law. 

Acting State Supreme Court Justice Mark Cohen, who had made no agreement as to sentencing, handed down his decision on May 14 after reviewing material submitted by Mr. Grossman in the hope of a more lenient sentence, such as probation. Jacob Kubetz, the assistant district attorney handling the case for Suffolk District Attorney Tim Sini’s Enhanced Prosecution Bureau, had recommended the maximum punishment.

Through a Spanish translator, Mr. Galvez-Garcia admitted in court on April 12 that he killed his aunt’s dog, a companion animal under the state law, on Dec. 2, 2018. He has been in custody since his arrest — his family did not post bail, set at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond — and will get credit for time served. “He won’t be in jail for more than 11 months, I think,” Mr. Grossman said.

His client did not say anything on his own behalf. “It’s over. It’s a very difficult situation,” Mr. Grossman said. Asked if Mr. Galvez-Garcia would receive any mental health services, the lawyer said he was trying to get a therapist to visit him in jail. 

Mr. Galvez-Garcia confessed to East Hampton Town police that he kidnapped Simba, a 4-year-old cockapoo, from a yard on Thomas Avenue in East Hampton because he was angry with his aunt. He told police he then drove to a secluded area off Breeze Hill Road near Three Mile Harbor in Springs and choked and repeatedly stabbed the dog with a knife until it died.

After arriving at his mother’s house, Mr. Galvez-Garcia, who was said to have been acting strangely, claimed to have been at the beach. His mother noticed a dent in the car, blood, and found dog hair inside it. She and her husband knew the aunt’s dog was missing. Family members searched the beach parking area where Mr. Galvez-Garcia said he had been. The dog’s mutilated carcass was found in the woods about 50 feet from the road, police said.

During a police interview, Mr. Galvez-Garcia admitted he tried to snap the dog’s neck and choke it, and then stabbed it with a knife from his mother’s kitchen to make sure it was dead.

Having pleaded guilty, Mr. Galvez-Garcia faces ICE concerns, as he is from El Salvador and not a United States citizen. Mr. Grossman has said his client is here on a green card, adding that he could be subject to deportation proceedings, and he has an immigration attorney.