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Case #12668 Rating: 2.9 out of 5
Animal-shelter volunteer charged with bestiality
Denver, CO (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Sep 22, 2007
County: Arapahoe
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Gustavo Castanon
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A volunteer with a Denver animal shelter has been arrested on suspicion of having sex with a dog, police said.
Gustavo Castanon, 33, of Denver, is being held at the Denver Jail on $10,000 bond after he was arrested on Sept 26 on suspicion of cruelty to an animal, a misdemeanor charge, said Sonny Jackson, a Denver Police spokesman. Castanon is accused of coaxing the dog to perform oral sex.
Castanon has also been suspended from his volunteer position for "inappropriate behavior with a dog," a shelter official said.
Officials at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter, 678 S. Jason St., "initiated the investigation" against the volunteer, said Ellen Dumm, spokeswoman with Denver Environmental Health.
"We've asked for an investigation by police and the district attorney's office," Dumm said.
A witness told investigators Castanon had sexual contact with a basset hound at the shelter on Saturday, Sept 22, at about 5:30 p.m.
In 1998, Castanon was arrested for unlawful public indecency in Cheesman Park, according to Denver court records. He pleaded guilty to the charge and paid a fine of $200 and court costs.
Police were notified on Monday of the alleged animal shelter incident. Dumm declined to go into details, pending the outcome of the investigation. She said the dog was not physically harmed.
Case UpdatesA former dog shelter volunteer was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to stay away from animals after he was caught having sex with a basset hound outside the shelter.
Gustavo Castanon also will get surprise visits from probation officers at his home to ensure there are no animals there, said Denver District Judge Robert B. Crew Jr.
The judge also ordered Castanon to enroll in an anger-management program and undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation. Castanon has no pets, but his partner does, so Castanon cannot live at that house if the pets stay there.
Castanon will remain in the Denver County Jail for another 10 days on an immigration hold. If Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials don't pick him up by then, he will be released and begin his probation, Crew said.
Castanon was dismissed as a volunteer at Denver's Municipal Animal Shelter after being spotted in late September by an employee behind the building with the dog. Castanon was half-naked and coaxing the dog to perform oral sex, the police report said.
Castanon has remained jailed on animal cruelty charges, unable to come up with $10,000 bail.
Castanon was convicted in 1998 of exposing himself at Cheesman Park, according to court records. | Source: Rocky Mountain News - Nov 13, 2007
Update posted on Nov 14, 2007 - 3:21PM |
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