Downey man charged with animal cruelty after selling sick puppies

PHOTO BY BLAKE BOYINGTON

A 26-year-old man has been charged with 52 criminal counts for selling puppies that became very ill soon after they were sold to more than two dozen victims, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced today.

Gustavo Gonzalez, of Downey, faces 28 felony counts of cruelty to an animal, one felony count each of first-degree residential burglary and grand theft as well as 22 misdemeanor counts of petty theft.

He is scheduled to be arraigned June 10.

The criminal complaint charges Gonzalez with selling 28 sick puppies to 25 families throughout Southern California from February 2018 to April 2019. Most of the puppies died after the victims brought them to their homes, the prosecutors said.

Bail is set at $740,000. If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of 36 years in custody.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim is encouraged to call the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) at (800) 593-8222.