Overview

• John Lettieri, 53, was charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty and criminal mischief after an Aug. 15 incident in Mastic Beach captured on home surveillance.
• The video, cited in the criminal complaint, shows a black Ford F-350 stop, fire at 12-year-old Coco, then reverse and reposition before a second shot.
• Police say a projectile lodged in Coco’s vertebrae caused hind-leg paralysis, a pulmonary contusion, and internal bleeding, with veterinary bills already exceeding $16,000 and a GoFundMe established.
• Lettieri pleaded not guilty, was released on his own recognizance, and was ordered to stay away from the cat’s owner as prosecutors continue to seek additional footage.
• District Attorney Ray Tierney condemned the shooting as intentional and urged changes to state bail laws and eligibility of animal-abuse expenses for crime victims compensation.