Friday, June 30, 2017 | 3:14 p.m.
CARSON CITY — An appeals court has upheld the conviction of a Las Vegas man who punched and tried to choke a police dog that bit him during a chase.
Jesus Gonzalez was sentenced in 2016 to 16 to 40 months in prison, with 160 days credit for time served.
The Nevada Court of Appeals on Thursday rejected Gonzalez’s argument that there was not enough evidence to convict him of mistreatment or interference with the duties of a police animal.
At the time of the incident, a Metro Police SWAT team was attempting to serve a search warrant on Gonzalez, who fled and hid in a shed at a nearby home, according to records.
Officers, fearing Gonzalez might be armed, dispatched the dog to corral Gonzalez. He kicked and tried to choke the dog after it latched onto him, according to records.
The court said that “a rational jury could have concluded that Gonzalez willfully and maliciously taunted, tormented, teased, beat or struck a police animal or interfered with a police animal in the performance of its duty.”
