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Suspect in pit bull theft is registered sex offender…
PUPPY SNATCHER ADMITS OFFENSE, GOES TO JAIL
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By Marc Robertson
A man who has admitted last week to stealing a pit bull and her seven puppies from a home on Davenport Street in Cotulla has been jailed on misdemeanor charges of theft and trespassing.
Identified as 38-year-old Joshua Galvan, the suspect in the case is a registered sex offender and was reported by the dogs’ owner as being the one likely responsible for the theft before sheriff’s deputies arrived at his house. Telltale footprints leading from the scene of the theft as far as Galvan’s gate less than a hundred yards distant reinforced officer’s beliefs that he would be a person of interest in connection with the crime.
The pit bull puppies have been valued at more than $100 each.
In his report on the case, La Salle Cpl. Anthony Zertuche said he met with dog owner Ramon Nunez, who claimed that Galvan had already made inquiries regarding the puppies and had asked to be given one.
Nunez reported that he had come home Thursday morning at around 9 a.m. to find that the young dogs and their mother had been removed. The investigating officer noted that Nunez’ property is fenced and that there is a gate across the driveway.
The corporal noted that he spotted footprints in the dirt at the scene of the theft and that he followed the prints as far as Galvan’s property entrance. Galvan, however, was either not home at the time of the officer’s visit or was not responding to calls.
Armed with the theft victim’s complaint and with the footprint evidence, Cpl. Zertuche said he sought arrest warrants for Galvan and a search warrant for the property, all of which were signed Thursday afternoon by Justice of the Peace George Trigo.
Cpl. Zertuche was joined by Deputies Miguel Limon and Juan Mirelez, Sheriff’s Investigator Homar Olivarez, Highway Patrol Sgt. JD Rodriguez and a number of DPS troopers in approaching the Galvan property at around 5 p.m. Friday in a bid to execute the search warrant. The corporal noted that he called on the other officers to assist because uncertainty remained over how many dogs were being kept at the property.
“We have since learned that Galvan approached Nunez after our first visit Thursday morning and confronted him over having called the sheriff’s office about the dog theft,” Cpl. Zertuche said. “The suspect in the case appears to have admitted to taking the dogs and asked Nunez not to press the issue. He offered to return them.”
The officers executed the search warrant and caught Galvan after the suspect tried to flee but became tangled in a barbed wire fence. Galvan provided information regarding the dogs’ whereabouts and all were safely recovered by the Cotulla animal control officer.
Galvan was remanded into custody on Class B misdemeanor charges of theft and criminal trespass. Prosecutors are examining options for revoking probation for Galvan from an earlier conviction.
PHOTO CAPTION
La Salle Cpl. Anthony Zertuche and Cotulla Animal Control Office assistant JuanTangumaretrieve seven healthy pit bull puppies from a property where they had been concealed after a theft. (Courtesy photo)