NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to multiple charges last week, over two years after he was arrested for beating a puppy in front of his 7-year-old daughter, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Gabriel Mojica, 36, entered his guilty plea on Thursday for animal cruelty, endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated assaults upon law enforcement officers.
He incurred the first two charges in September 2022 when witnesses—including his young daughter—saw him beating 10-week-old puppy “Scooby” with a closed fist.
Pedestrians who observed the abuse contacted the Atlantic City Police Department. Officers responded, and after an investigation that included interviewing observers at the scene, he was charged.
Mojica, of Pleasantville, was indicted in that case by an Atlantic County Grand Jury.
While charges were pending, prosecutors said that Mojica incurred additional criminal cases that involved possession of narcotics, contempt of a domestic violence restraining order and aggravated assaults on two Atlantic County Sheriff’s officers.
The officers were injured while performing their law enforcement duties, prosecutors said.
Mojica’s sentencing is scheduled for April 10, and he faces five years in prison.