The two suspects at the center of Mesquite’s massive animal neglect case are now wanted on no-bail warrants after allegedly violating a court order barring them from owning animals, reports St. George News.
Mesquite police say Giustino Laudando and Michelle Santos-Cook will be taken into custody if located.
The alleged violation was caught on camera in court itself.
During a June 17 arraignment held by video conference, court records note that both defendants appeared on screen with a dog, in direct violation of their release conditions.
The couple had been released from custody on June 4 after posting bond.
A judge had set bail at $10,000 for Laudando and $5,000 for Santos-Cook at a May 21 hearing, with an explicit condition that they possess no animals, specifically dogs.
On July 1, an attorney for Santos-Cook asked the court to quash the warrant, but the request was denied. A bond forfeiture hearing has been scheduled for December.
Mesquite Police Sgt. Jaime Stout said officers continued monitoring the couple after their release and had multiple contacts with them over vehicle registration and other violations.
In recent weeks, however, police have not seen the pair in the area.
The case began in May, when Mesquite police recovered 77 dogs from the couple’s RV and the city’s small shelter appealed for community help.
The count later climbed to 114 dogs as both suspects were arrested on more than 100 combined charges.
Each defendant was ultimately charged with 16 felony counts of willfully or maliciously torturing, maiming, or mutilating an animal, plus 35 misdemeanor counts of animal neglect.
Many of the small-breed dogs were suffering from illnesses and injuries consistent with extreme neglect when they were found.
There is good news for the dogs themselves.
Sgt. Stout confirmed that every rescued dog has now been adopted, thanks to community support and rescue organizations across Nevada and Utah, after most of the animals were placed with rescue partners in early June.
The criminal case remains unresolved, and the allegations against Laudando and Santos-Cook must still be proven in court.
Anyone with information on the couple’s whereabouts can contact the Mesquite Police Department.
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