COMPTON (CNS) - The mayor of Maywood was convicted today of two misdemeanor counts for neglecting to care for a dog that had to be euthanized.
A jury found Ramon Medina Mojarro, 58, guilty of one count each of cruelty to an animal and failure to care for an animal, according to Deputy District Attorney Jillian O'Neill.
Mojarro -- who was not mayor at the time of the crimes in 2015 -- could face up to one year in jail, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. He is due back in a Compton courtroom for sentencing on Sept. 7. The female pit bull mix named Hershey, which Mojarro kept at his auto shop, was taken to an animal shelter in Downey on Feb. 9, 2015, according to the District Attorney's Office.
The dog had a chronic illness and had not been taken to a veterinarian, according to O'Neill. The animal was emaciated, had severe muscle wasting, couldn't walk or eat and had to be put down, according to evidence presented during the trial.
The case against Mojarro stemmed from an investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.