Astoria resident Carlo Silva, 40, is currently facing animal cruelty charges after surveillance footage allegedly showed him abusing his small poodle, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced. According to the Queens District Attorney's Office, the footage captured Silva purportedly throwing the dog down stairs and dragging her back up by the leash multiple times within a short time span.
During his arraignment, the Queens DA's Office reported that Silva was charged with counts including overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance. "The senseless brutality depicted on the surveillance video in this case is sickening," Katz said in a statement. Silva, from Astoria Boulevard, could be sentenced up to two years in prison if convicted.
Criminal Court Judge Sharifa Nasser-Cuellar has set August 13 as the date for Silva's next court appearance. The incident, which reportedly took place on May 31 and was caught by a surveillance camera within Silva's residential building, involved a young puppy named Olivia who endured the alleged abuse. The same behavior was seen in footage from the early mornings and afternoon of June 1, and around 2 a.m. on June 2.
The cruelty was first flagged on June 2, precipitating a response from the 114th Precinct. Upon reviewing the video, an officer arrested Silva, and Olivia was taken to the ASPCA for care and evaluation. The forensic veterinarian determined that Olivia suffered from a range of injuries, including skin contusions, a chipped tooth, and a rib fracture, which was indicative of blunt force trauma. These findings were part of a detailed exam, as described by the Queens DA's Office.
Assistant District Attorney Justin Bobko is handling the prosecution, in conjunction with a team including Assistant District Attorney Nicole Reid and Bureau Chief Mary Kate Quinn. The case falls under the purview of the DA's Animal Cruelty Prosecutions Unit, with the oversight of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Special Prosecutions Joyce A. Smith.
