A domestic disturbance in the Samuel Madden Uptown public housing units in the 800 block of North Alfred Street became the scene of an outburst of violence last week, according to a police report.
After receiving a call at 10:21 p.m. on July 11, Alexandria police officers arrived at the Alfred Street public-housing complex and interviewed a 25-year-old Alexandria woman about the disturbance. She told investigators that her live-in boyfriend struck her and threw their 4-year-old son’s pet dog, Gucci, against a wall — killing the dog and terrifying their child.
"He was angry at her," said Lt. Jamie Bartlett, a spokesman for the Alexandria Police Department. "And he expressed his anger by hitting her and killing the dog."
Jose Zelaya, 25, was charged with domestic assault and battery, felony animal cruelty, felony destruction of property and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. According to Dale Bartlett, deputy manager of the animal cruelty campaign for the Humane Society of the United States, studies show a clear link between cruelty to animals and violence against people.
"Animal abuse is often a precursor to other types of violence, and without stern intervention, people who abuse animals are more likely to abuse human victims as well," wrote Bartlett in a July 12 letter to Commonwealth’s Attorney S. Randolph Sengel. "Sentencing conditions should include a mandatory ban on keeping or owning companion animals … Additionally, we urge your office to seek mandatory psychological counseling."
According to Sengel, Zelaya is facing a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.
Contributing to the delinquency of a minor is class one misdemeanor, punishable by one to 12 months in jail or a fine up to $2,500; domestic assault and battery is a class one misdemeanor, punishable by one to 12 months in jail or a fine up to $2,500; felony animal cruelty is a class six felony, punishable by one to five years in a penitentiary or up to 12 months in jail; felony destruction of property is a class six felony, punishable by one to five years in a penitentiary or up to 12 months in jail.
Sengel said his prosecutors will pursue the charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court while the other charges will be heard in the General District Court.
"A person who is convicted in two different courts will be sentenced separately by two different judges," said Sengel. "So there will be two entirely different proceedings."