Fargo man convicted of killing kitten, domestic violence

FARGO, N.D. (KXNET) — A Fargo man accused of animal cruelty and domestic violence has been convicted and sentenced.

According to a press release from In Defense of Animals, Carlos Pérez was sentenced on June 10 to five years in prison for aggravated domestic assault and acts of terrorism, and to three years for animal cruelty.

In September 2023, a woman called the police to her home after her boyfriend, Perez, became angry because she came home late from work. The anger escalated into physical assault, torture and the murder of the woman's kitten.

Perez was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, terrorism, aggravated cruelty, domestic violence and interfering with an emergency call.

In Defense of Aminals wrote to Prosecutor Kimberlee J. Hegvik and presented her with a letter signed by concerned members of the public. They asked for the maximum sentence and mandatory mental health evaluation and treatment.

“Punishing abusers may or may not deter their violent nature, but justice must be served to their victims,” said Doll Stanley, senior campaigner for animal rights. “Animal abusers pose a high risk of violence to society as a whole, and the cause is mental instability. Our mental health system must be integrated with our justice and criminal justice systems to protect the public. Please join us in calling for mandatory mental health programs for convicted animal abusers. Domestic violence is a crisis facing our nation.