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A Texas man has ignited widespread outrage after a judge decided against imposing a jail sentence for his shocking act of animal cruelty, where he mutilated a cat and consumed its intestines publicly.
Krystopher Nathan Torres, 21, has admitted to charges of animal cruelty following the gruesome incident that took place in a restaurant parking lot in July 2024, where he fatally stabbed the feline and ingested its internal organs.
This incident recalls a controversy during the presidential campaign when Donald Trump faced significant criticism after claiming that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were responsible for stealing and consuming local cats and dogs.
The Biden administration promptly denounced these claims, labeling them as “dangerous” misinformation.
Despite the severity of his actions, Torres was sentenced on Monday, leading to widespread dismay among animal rights advocates who were left “appalled” by the lack of jail time in his sentencing.
The 21-year-old received five years of probation, 200 hours of community service, and $300 in court costs.
‘It’s disappointing that the disturbing nature of this case has not been taken seriously by the court,’ In Defense of Animals Senior Campaigner Doll Stanley said.
‘The abuser in this case isn’t going to serve time or be mandated to obviously needed mental health counseling.’
Krystopher Nathan Torres, 21, mugshot, he pleaded guilty to animal cruelty after he killed and ate a cat’s internal organs in a restaurant parking lot
A customer informed the manager of The Junction Brunch House in El Paso that Torres ‘was stabbing and eating a cat in the parking lot’
Authorities were dispatched on July 17, 2024 after a customer informed the manager of The Junction Brunch House in El Paso that ‘a man was stabbing and eating a cat in the parking lot,’ according to the animal group’s press release.
Torres fled the scene, leaving employees to scoop up the cat’s remains in a plastic bag and discard it in a dumpster.
Officers who arrived on the scene discovered a vile sight – the cat’s intestines sprawled all over the parking lot.
After they retrieved the feline’s body, authorities found that its head was crushed and its body was ripped open.
Torres was discovered as the culprit after he was involved in a car accident the next day.
The cat killer was arrested and taken to the El Paso County Detention Facility for the despicable act and had a bond set at $100,000.
In Defense of Animals sent a letter with 14,765 signatures urging maximum penalties for Torres, they said in the press release.
They also advocated for Torres to receive ‘mandated psychiatric counseling and a lifetime ban from being around animals’.
The 21-year-old’s sentence was a slap on the wrist compared to what the animal rights group had sought.
‘Those who can harm animals so maliciously must be held accountable, and vulnerable community members must be protected from further harm they may cause,’ Stanley said.
Aerial view of the restaurant and parking lot in El Paso where Torres killed and ate a cat’s internal organs in broad daylight
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on the debate stage when Trump claimed migrants in Springfield, Ohio were ‘eating the dogs, eating the cats’
The heinous act took place 1,600 miles from where Trump alleged during his campaign that illegal immigrants were eating cats and dogs.
The moment became one of the most infamous points of the election.
‘In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats,’ the former president said during a debate with Democrat candidate Kamala Harris.
‘They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.’
Harris could be heard muttering ‘What? This is unbelievable’ before adding ‘talk about extreme’ and laughing.
The president’s comments went viral on social media, becoming a TikTok audio and dance craze.
His incendiary comments left the city on edge, with locals warning he had only heightened tensions stoked by the anti-immigrant rhetoric sweeping social media.
But come election day, Trump stormed home to victory with a strong lead in the county, securing 64.2 percent of the votes.