Santa Rosa child porn suspect accused of sexually assaulting dog
Authorities in Sonoma County said a Santa Rosa man suspected of possessing child pornography was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of animal cruelty for sexual assaulting a small dog.
According to a Facebook post by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Wednesday afternoon, 26-year-old Jeremiah Ortega was arrested last week on April 3 for possession of child pornography. Ortega was released earlier this week on April 7 following a court hearing.
Authorities said that during the ongoing investigation into Ortega's possession of child pornography, detectives found videos on the suspect's devices showing him sexually assaulting a small dog. Authorities identified the animal and the crime scene, which led to Sonoma County Animal Services to seize the animal for examination.
On Thursday, detectives arrested Ortega on the 100 block of Bellevue Avenue in Santa Rosa. In addition to the earlier child pornography charges, he now faces a felony charge of animal cruelty, misdemeanor charges of sexual assault of an animal and two counts of violation of probation.
Ortega was booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. While his bail was initially set at $27,000 after his earlier arrest, it was increased by $50,000 Wednesday, bringing the total to $77,000. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.
