FROM THE OFFICE OF
ERIE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JOHN J. FLYNN
October 27, 2021
CHEEKTOWAGA MAN ARRAIGNED ON FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES FOR KILLING CATS
Update June 5, 2023 — Germanguerrero, who pled guilty in March to felony animal charges after killing his cats, was sentenced today in Erie County Court by Hon. Kenneth F. Case to five years probation and a five year “no animal” order.
Update March 7, 2023 — Germanguerrero Pleads Guilty to Felony Animal Cruelty. Read the full story here >>
Update February 9, 2022 — CHEEKTOWAGA MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS CATS INDICTED ON FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 22-year-old Moises L. Germanguerrero of Cheektowaga was arraigned this morning before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case on an indictment charging him with two counts of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (Class “E” felonies). (See the original story, below.)
The defendant became the subject of an investigation by SPCA Serving Erie County following the suspicious deaths of his cats. It is alleged that on March 29, 2021, the defendant’s girlfriend brought a deceased cat to a veterinary hospital, which was then taken to the SPCA Serving Erie County. A necropsy determined that the cat died from blunt force trauma to the head. The defendant is accused of hitting the cat with a closed fist, which caused the death of the animal.
It is further alleged that on October 18, 2021, the defendant’s girlfriend brought another cat to a different veterinary hospital to be treated for head trauma. The cat was taken to the SPCA Serving Erie County where it was euthanized due to the severity of the injury. A veterinarian at the SPCA determined the second cat died from blunt force trauma to the head, which was confirmed by a necropsy. The defendant is also accused of fatally injuring the second cat by hitting the animal in the head with a closed fist.
Germanguerrero is scheduled to return on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. for a pre-trial conference. The defendant remains released on his own recognizance as the charges are non-qualifying for bail.
If convicted of all charges, Germanguerrero faces a maximum of two years in prison.
DA Flynn commends SPCA Serving Erie County Officers Jasil Ivory, Tyler Robertson, Lindsey Wood, and Jennifer Maleskis as well as and Detective Terrence Griffin of the Cheektowaga Police Department for their work in this investigation.
“This is a disturbing case of a man accused of killing his own pets. My office will continue to prosecute animal abusers to the fullest extent of the law. I want thank the SPCA for not only their work in this investigation, but also for the work they do every day to help animals in our community,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Garvey of the Animal Cruelty Unit and Assistant District Attorney Megan E. Mahoney of the Felony Trials Bureau.
As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
October 27, 2021 — Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 21-year-old Moises L. Germanguerrero of Cheektowaga was arraigned yesterday morning before 
Cheektowaga Town Court Justice David M. Stevens on two counts of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (Class “E” felonies). The defendant was charged following investigation by SPCA Serving Erie County into the suspicious deaths of his cats.
It is alleged that on March 29, 2021, the defendant’s girlfriend brought a deceased cat to a veterinary hospital, which was then taken to the SPCA Serving Erie County. A necropsy determined that the cat died from blunt force trauma to the head. The defendant is accused of hitting the cat with a closed fist, which caused the death of the animal.
It is further alleged that on October 18, 2021, the defendant’s girlfriend brought another cat to a different veterinary hospital to be treated for head trauma. The cat was taken to the SPCA Serving Erie County where it was euthanized due to the severity of the injury. A veterinarian at the SPCA determined the second cat suffered from blunt force trauma to the head pending results of a necropsy. The defendant is also accused of fatally injuring the cat by hitting the animal with a closed fist.
Germanguerrero is scheduled to return on Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. The defendant was released on his own recognizance as the charges are non-qualifying for bail.
If convicted of all charges, Germanguerrero faces a maximum of 4 years in prison.
DA Flynn commends SPCA Serving Erie County Officers Jasil Ivory, Tyler Robertson, Lindsey Wood, and Jennifer Maleskis as well as and Detective Terrence Griffin of the Cheektowaga Police Department for their work in this investigation.
“This is a disturbing case of a man accused of killing his own pets. My office will continue to prosecute animal abusers to the fullest extent of the law. I want thank the SPCA for not only their work in this investigation, but also for the work they do every day to help animals in our community,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
“This is so much more than a job for our officers at the SPCA. These cases become incredibly personal, and elicit heartfelt sentiment amongst members of our team. Just this case alone, particularly for Officer Ivory, represented more than 6 months of discussion and fact-checking and, yes, a range of emotions. I’m incredibly proud of the work performed by the NYS Peace Officers who represent the SPCA every day, and equally-proud of the relationships they’ve formed with other local law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney’s Office. Together with donors who make our services possible, we work tirelessly to end animal cruelty in our region and beyond,” said Beth Shapiro, SPCA Serving Erie County interim president/CEO.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Megan E. Mahoney of the Animal Cruelty Unit.
As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
— Kait Munro | Public Information Officer
Erie County | District Attorney
Over the last 100 years or so, the continental United States has lost millions of acres of habitat due to our obsession with the perfect lawn. This monoculture of green carpet doesn’t support a functioning ecosystem. What does this mean? There are less and less healthy areas to support wildlife and a system that can support our very own human livelihood. Our future depends on supporting wildlife and a healthy ecosystem.
If you’re interested in learning more about this very humane approach to conservation in your own yard, please check out the book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, by Douglas W. Tallamy.
Our favorite, Terry Buchwald, is back with the WNY Elvis Appreciation Society to help the animals at the SPCA! All the details are in the flier below! But just for fun…how many references to Elvis songs can you find in this write-up? (HINT: There are 20 songs referenced! Answers in 
Help a cat see the light! Become a member of the SPCA’s Foster Care team and bring home a “Shadow Cat!” And now, you can ADOPT a Shadow Cat for a waived adoption fee! Shadow Cats:
