Cat Killer Had Multiple Felonies Prior to Being Jailed
Friday, August 12, 2016
A GoLocalProv.com investigation has uncovered that convicted cat-killer Anthony Stravato had an extensive criminal history prior to being jailed in 2015, which was for both torturing an animal, and for electronic dissemination of indecent material to minor, which put him on the state’s registered sex offender registry.
In October 2015, Stravato was given a full sentence of two years for torturing and killing his family's cat. He was also given a five year sentence for the dissemination of indecent materials to a minor charge.
Despite multiple prior felonies, no-contact orders, and judges' orders to mental health programs, Stravato was sentenced to serve eight months.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTOn Wednesday, GoLocalProv.com was first to report that the State of Rhode Island sent a warning to pet stores and animal shelters not to give or sell any animals to Stravato upon his release from prison this month, based on his history.
Stravato’s History
A review of court documents uncovered that Stravato’s first arrest was for a felony assault in Bristol in April 2011, to which he eventually pleaded nolo — a guilty plea — in Superior Court in July 2011. The judge issued a no-contact order with the victim. A corresponding disorderly conduct charge was dismissed.
In September 2011, Stravato was arrested in Warren on attempted breaking-and-entering, another felony charge. He pleaded nolo again to an amended felony charge of willful trespass in Superior Court in February 2012.
The magistrate in that case, Magistrate Burke, ordered Stravato to one year probation, restitution, and to undergo a mental health program. Stravato also pleaded nolo to a vandalism charge, and was given a one year probation.
2015 Incidents — and Timeline
Stravato was arrested for killing his family’s cat in April 2015, but was only sentenced in Superior Court in October 2015, when he faced multiple other charges that occurred following that incident.
In May 2015, Stravato was arrested in Bristol for cyberstalking. He pleaded nolo to the misdemeanor in June 2015, and the judge ordered him to a one year suspension, one year probation, no contact with the victim. At that time, Stravator was given another order to a mental health program.
One month later in July, Stravato was arrested on the charges of cyberstalking and dissemination of indecent material to a minor, which was a violation of his multiple prior probations, at which time he was remanded to the ACI.
Stravato then pleaded nolo in October 2015 to the malicious injury to animals charge which was a sentence of two years, as well as the dissemination of indecent material, which was a sentence of five years.
He served eight months for both.
Facebook Posts
In the summer of July 2015, Stravato made a number of posts to his Facebook page — which has since been deleted.
In one post, Stravato said he was a socialpath, and that’s how “all serial killers start off.”
