California man who adopted cats to torture and kill them sentenced for animal cruelty

A Santa Barbara man who prosecutors say was adopting, torturing and then killing cats was sentenced to more than six years in prison after pleading guilty to animal cruelty, authorities announced Wednesday.

David Genovese, a 36-year-old Santa Barbara resident, pleaded guilty to five counts of animal cruelty and admitted to a special allegation of personally using a deadly weapon, according to a news release from the Santa Barbara County district attorney's office. He was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.

On Jan. 25, Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies found a cat with a paracord around its neck and its paws bound with duct tape in Genovese's vehicle, according to the release. The cat named Sultan had broken teeth, bones and severe head trauma and had been adopted in good health earlier that morning from an animal shelter in Los Angeles.

Genovese allegedly began adopting, torturing and disposing of cats in Santa Barbara starting in 2024, according to authorities. Between Aug. 4 and Sept. 6 of last year, Genovese allegedly adopted four cats from the Santa Barbara and Santa Maria animal shelters in unknown conditions. Genovese allegedly stole two kittens from the same shelter on Jan. 15 that are still missing.

Genovese allegedly stole a 2 1/2-year-old orange tabby cat named Lancelot from a resident in Ventura, officials said. After he was arrested on Jan. 30, Lancelot was found dead in the trunk of his car, with his paws bound with packaging tape.

Deputies also went back to the area where they arrested Genovese and found a dead tabby cat about 55 feet from Genovese's vehicle, officials said. The cat also had its paws bound with black duct tape, which was the same tape found in Genovese's car. The cats had extensive bruising, multiple broken legs, all four canine teeth broken, dislocated spines and tails.

"Thank you to our local Advanced Veterinary Services (AVS) for their efforts in treating animals in our County and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) for their dedication and assistance in this case," Dist. Atty. John Savrnoch said in the release.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.