October 30, 2009
Bradford R. Fenocchio
District Attorney
PLACER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
10810 Justice Center Drive, Suite 240
Roseville, California 95678
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 January 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 December 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.