By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Atlantic County announced that on Thursday, February 6, Gabriel Mojica, 36, from Pleasantville, entered a guilty plea before the Honorable Bernard DeLury, Jr., P.J.Cr., on several indicted matters, including animal cruelty, endangering the welfare of a child, and aggravated assaults upon law enforcement officers.
Atlantic County officials said that the defendant faces a five-year term of imprisonment when he is sentenced.
Defendant incurred the first of these offenses in September of 2022 when he was seen beating a 10-week-old puppy, Scooby, with a closed fist in front of his then seven-year-old daughter, ACPO authorities stated.
Atlantic County officials said pedestrians observing the beating contacted the Atlantic City Police Department.
Police responded, interviewed witnesses who remained on scene and, pursuant to their investigation, defendant was charged with animal cruelty and endangering the welfare of his child, Atlantic City Police stated.
ACPO officials say he was indicted on that case by an Atlantic County Grand Jury.
According to ACPO officials, while these charges were pending, Mojica incurred additional criminal cases involving possession of narcotics, contempt of a domestic violence restraining order, and aggravated assaults on two Atlantic County Sheriff’s Officers who suffered bodily injury while in the performance of their law enforcement duties.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for April 10, 2025, Atlantic County officials stated.