Feds Go After Man Accused In Horrific Eastvale Puppy Slashing

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — After being released from a Riverside County jail following his booking on suspicion of slitting a puppy's neck and posting video of the abuse to social media, an Eastvale man must now answer to federal officials.

Angel Ramos-Corrales, 19, was arrested without incident Monday morning by the FBI and the Riverside Police Department. A federal criminal complaint filed Friday charges him with animal crushing, a federal crime of purposely subjecting certain types of animals to serious bodily injury not related to hunting or other lawful activity, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The animal crushing statute carries a sentence of up to seven years in federal prison.

Ramos-Corrales had already been arrested by Riverside police on Feb. 13 after officers investigated the puppy torture complaint. According to police, Ramos-Corrales posted the puppy slashing video on Snapchat and was shown bragging about it.

Despite the horror of the alleged crime, Ramos-Corrales was released from custody the following day with a promise to appear in court. He did not have to post bail.

Meanwhile, local law enforcement brought the case to the attention of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. According to the affidavit in support of the complaint filed Friday, Ramos-Corrales allegedly posted the video showing the brutality at his apartment in the 3500 block of Lou Ella Lane in Eastvale. In the video, a person believed to be Ramos-Corrales makes a series of statements, including “I’m cold-hearted,” and then kicks the young, dying Chihuahua, which he had named Canelo, the complaint alleges.

During the Feb. 13 investigation by Riverside police at Ramos-Corrales’ apartment, they found him with fresh bloodstains on his clothes, as well as fresh cut wounds on his hand, according to the affidavit.

Officers also found the severely injured dog lying on a bed and saw blood spatters in both the bedroom and bathroom.

Police officers spoke to the roommate who said he locked himself in his bedroom after seeing blood spatter and the dog wrapped in a rug while Ramos-Corrales was in his room yelling, the affidavit states.

Animal control officers were also called to the apartment on Feb. 13 and removed the dying dog, according to the affidavit. A veterinarian had to euthanize the animal after determining Canelo also had fractured bones in his head and chest.

During interviews with FBI agents in early March that are outlined in the affidavit, Ramos-Corrales said he bought Canelo as a small puppy from a Craigslist posting several months earlier, and he claimed not to recall the details of what he had done to the dog.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, which received assistance from the Riverside Police Department. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office received the initial referral from the Riverside Police Department, and, after reviewing the matter and conferring with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a decision was made that federal prosecutors would file the case.

Ramos-Corrales was expected to make his initial appearance Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Riverside.