OCFA Employee Accused Of Shooting His Dog And Dumping Its Body

IRVINE, CA — A southwest Riverside county resident is accused of shooting his dog to death and disposing of the animal's body in a dumpster in his fire station in Irvine, Orange County District Attorney's Office reported on Thursday.

Ryan John Monteleone, 44, of Menifee, was arrested by Irvine police on October 17, in the City of Irvine.

Monteleone, a heavy equipment operator, has worked in the city of Irvine as a sworn member of the Orange County Fire Authority. It was there, at the OCFA fire station on Fossil Road in Irvine, that a Waste Management trash truck driver discovered the body of the dead dog inside a fire station dumpster.

Upon further investigation, officials discovered the dog sustained a bullet wound to the head, the OCDA spokesperson said.

The District Attorney's Office charged Monteleone with one felony count of cruelty to animals and one misdemeanor count of putting a carcass of a dead animal on the road.

He faces a maximum of three years and six months if convicted of all charges, and his arraignment was scheduled for December 2, at the Harbor Justice Center in Department H1 at 8:30 a.m.

Animals cannot call for help when they are being abused, making them especially vulnerable to violence, said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

"The abuse of animals will never be acceptable," Spitzer said. "This kind
of conduct is even more egregious when the abuse is carried out by a public servant whose entire career is devoted to helping others."

Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Malone is prosecuting this case.