File Photo
Olivo admitted that he tossed the cat from the balcony of his third-floor home on Beach 26th Street in Far Rockaway.
By Forum Staff
A Far Rockawayman has been sentenced to jail on animal cruelty charges.
Giovanni Olivo, 31, formerly of Beach 26th Street in Far Rockaway, has admitted to violently killing a cat in September 2016, as well as to trying to intimidate a witness not to testify against him in court.
Sizing up Olivio’s involvement, District Attorney Brown said, “In pleading guilty, the defendant admitted to stabbing the cat, throwing her from a balcony and then stomping her to death”. District Attorney also noted that Olivio then tried to concoct an elaborate scheme to intimidate and dissuade a witness from testifying about his actions.
“The defendant is going to jail as punishment for the vicious killing of a cat and for trying to sway a witness to lie in court,” DA Brown said.
Olivo plead guilty to aggravated animal cruelty and third-degree attempted intimidating a witness before Queens Supreme Court Justice John B. Latella in July – just moments before his trial was slated to begin .
Justice Latella sentenced the defendant to 10 months incarceration, amd as part of Olivo’s sentence he is banned from owning pets for five years and is required to register with the New York City Department of Health as an animal abuser.
The animal abuser registration will prevent city shelters, rescue groups and/or pet stores from allowing the defendant to purchase or adopt a pet. charges, Olivo was observed tossing a cat from the third-floor balcony of his home on Beach 26th Street and watching the cat hit the ground. Olivo then went down to the street level and repeatedly stomped on the pet stating aloud “you’re dead to this world.”
Several people, including children, who were outside at the time, witnessed the cat’s brutal death. Furthermore, the defendant, after being arrested and charged with killing the cat, tried to make the case go away by attempting to intimidate a neighborhood person, who had witnessed the September 30, 2016 incident.
