Las Cruces man sentenced to 18 months for animal cruelty after viral video
A Las Cruces man was sentenced to 18 months in prison after a viral video showed him striking two basset hounds with landscaping rocks, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say attack on two basset hounds was captured on video and led to felony conviction
Organ Mountain News report
LAS CRUCES - A Las Cruces man will serve 18 months in prison after a district judge sentenced him Friday for felony animal abuse tied to a viral video showing two basset hounds being struck with rocks.
District Court Judge Conrad F. Perea sentenced Luis Javier Cobos Jr., 37, to 18 months in the custody of the New Mexico Corrections Department after his conviction for extreme cruelty to animals, according to the Doña Ana County District Attorney’s Office. The court also imposed a $5,000 fine.
Cobos was taken into custody immediately following the sentencing hearing.
The case stems from a February 2025 incident investigated by the Las Cruces Police Department in which Cobos was recorded striking two basset hounds — identified as “Billy” and “Nani” — with landscaping rocks.
Medical records documented significant trauma and acute distress suffered by the dogs during the attack, prosecutors said.
District Attorney Fernando Macias said the conviction reflects the community’s concern over animal cruelty.
“We believe, and our legal system reminds us, that animals are sentient beings,” Macias said in a statement. “When we act to protect them, we aren’t just enforcing the law; we are honoring a shared commitment to basic human decency.”
Chief Deputy District Attorney Spencer Willson said the video evidence played a key role in the prosecution.
“The resolution of this case is a direct result of the undeniable evidence captured on video,” Willson said in a statement.
Authorities credited witnesses who recorded and reported the incident, as well as investigators from the Las Cruces Police Department and the city’s Animal Control division.
The district attorney’s office urged residents to report suspected animal cruelty and to avoid confronting suspects directly, advising people to contact law enforcement instead.
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