A Las Cruces man who was caught on video hurling landscaping rocks at two basset hounds has been ordered to spend 18 months in prison and pay a $5,000 fine.
Luis Javier Cobos Jr., 37, was sentenced on March 6, after a judge found that he attacked the dogs, identified as Billy and Nani, during a February 2025 incident that was captured on camera. Court records and veterinary notes show the basset hounds were left in acute distress and trauma, and the judge remanded Cobos into immediate custody to serve the full term.
Prosecutors said the case revolved around the video and the medical records that documented the dogs' injuries. Chief Deputy District Attorney Spencer Willson told KVIA that the on-camera evidence made prosecution possible and underscored that "intentional violence against defenseless animals carries serious, non-negotiable consequences."
How the abuse was caught
Contractors working near the home recorded the February 19, 2025, incident and later posted the footage on social media. That clip prompted Animal Control officers to respond to the 1300 block of Mission Nueva Drive. As detailed by the Las Cruces Police Department, investigators obtained a search warrant, removed four dogs from the property, and transported two basset hounds to a veterinary clinic for evaluation. Captured on video, the community's initial coverage of the case, as per Hoodline.
Sentence and officials' reaction
The court ordered Cobos to serve the full 18-month sentence and to pay the $5,000 fine after prosecutors presented the video and medical evidence, KVIA reported. District Attorney Fernando Macias told KVIA that "animals are sentient beings" and that protecting them honors basic human decency.
Legal context
Under New Mexico law, "extreme cruelty to animals" includes intentionally torturing, mutilating, or injuring an animal and is classified as a fourth-degree felony. The state sentencing statute sets the basic term for a fourth-degree felony at 18 months, and courts may also impose fines or require counseling or education programs as part of sentencing. Those provisions are outlined in NMSA §30-18-1 and NMSA §31-18-15.
Police and prosecutors praised the witnesses who recorded and reported the abuse and urged anyone who sees suspected animal cruelty to call Central Dispatch at (575) 526-0795. The dogs were placed temporarily at the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley while authorities continued their work on the case, the Las Cruces Police Department said.
