Bradford R. Fenocchio

District Attorney

PLACER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

10810 Justice Center Drive, Suite 240

Roseville, California 95678

916 543-8000

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Date: October 30, 2009                        

Contact:

                          Art Campos

                        Public information Officer

                        916 543-8076

                        Scott Owens

                        Assistant District Attorney

                        916 543-8000

DEFENDANT IN TORTURE KILLINGS OF GUINEA PIGS

PLEADS NO CONTEST TO ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES

A 24-year-old Roseville man faces up to one year in the Placer County Jail after pleading no contest to two counts of felony animal cruelty.

Ryan Paul Junaid made the plea Wednesday before Placer County Superior Court Judge J. Richard Couzens, who set his sentencing for Jan. 22.

Prosecutor David Broady of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office said investigators confiscated videos of Junaid using pliers to dissect live guinea pigs. The videos would have been used as evidence had Junaid gone to trial, he said.

Junaid was arrested last Dec. 9 by Roseville police who investigated tips  that someone was dumping injured or dead animals near the Secret Ravine Parkway area. Junaid was apprehended during a stakeout by officers.

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