A Sonoma County man is facing serious charges after authorities discovered disturbing videos on his phone. Jeremiah Ortega, 26, was first arrested on April 3 for allegedly possessing child pornography. After being released from custody, he was rearrested just two days later in Santa Rosa.
The shocking twist came when detectives examined Ortega’s phone and found videos showing him sexually assaulting a small dog. This led to new charges against him, including animal cruelty, sexual assault of an animal, and probation violations.
Ortega has been charged with seven felonies in total. This includes one count of animal cruelty, two counts of lewd acts with a child using force and fear, three counts of lewd acts on a child, and one count of possession of child pornography. He was arraigned on Friday and is scheduled to enter his plea on May 2.
Following the discovery of the dog footage, law enforcement took the animal to Sonoma County Animal Services for examination and care. Officials from the shelter have not provided updates on the dog’s condition due to the ongoing investigation.
Ortega’s bail was initially set at $27,000 but has since been increased to $77,000 because of the new charges. He remains in custody at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility.
This is not Ortega’s first brush with the law. He was arrested last May for drunk driving and later pleaded no contest to DUI charges. He also pleaded no contest to three counts of petty theft earlier this year, resulting in a 30-day jail sentence and 12 months of probation.
The case has raised concerns about the safety of both children and animals in the community. As the investigation continues, many are left wondering how someone could commit such acts.