New Jersey man who sexually abused and killed his pet cat sentenced to 5 years in prison

An Asbury Park man who admitted to torturing and killing his pet last year was sentenced to five years in prison, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday.

Superior Court Judge Chad Cagan sentenced Bani Mezquititla, 19, on Thursday, a year after he was charged with two counts of animal cruelty after being accused of sexually abusing, restraining and torturing the cat, resulting in his death, authorities said. He will also pay compensation for the cost of the cat's necropsy and comply with an order permanently prohibiting him from owning, living with or having custody of any animal, according to Cagan.

On March 2, 2023, a concerned citizen brought the body of a dead cat to Asbury Park Police headquarters, it was previously reported.

Police and the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals later determined Mezquititla was the cat's owner. He was arrested and charged the same day.

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Deion Johnson can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Instagram at @DeionRJohnson or @DeionRJohhnson