Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Girl's Puppy
The girl held on to the puppy's leash after the man grabbed the dog by its neck, deputies said
A 26-year-old gang member accused of stealing a puppy from a 6-year-old girl, who was dragged on a sidewalk as she clutched her dog's leash, was sentenced to six years in prison.
Surveillance video led deputies to Jose Castrejon, who was arrested a day after the robbery. The puppy, "Mia," was found with Castrejon and returned to the girl.
The girl was going to buy the dog a new collar April 7, 2010 when she was waiting for her uncle outside a market on Workman Mill Road in Bassett. Castrejon (pictured, right) sneaked up behind the girl and grabbed the puppy by the scruff of its neck, according to investigators.
The girl still had the leash in her hand and slid down the sidewalk as Castrejon pulled, deputies said. The girl eventually dropped the leash and Castrejon fled with the dog in a truck, according to the sheriff's department.
Castrejon was arrested April 8, 2010, but released on bond. He was later arrested for a firearm violation in San Bernardino County and bail was revoked.
He was convicted of robbery in November 2011 and sentenced Feb. 1 to six years in prison.
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