A man has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison in a summary trial for entering several agricultural establishments to steal and kill animals in the Buenos Aires district of Villarino. The man is Kevin Ezequiel Bermúdez, who was found guilty of four aggravated cattle thefts, two cattle thefts, theft and animal mistreatment. According to the case handled by prosecutor Marina Lara of the Bahía Blanca Judicial Department, with jurisdiction in the district, Bermúdez was accused of 7 criminal acts, one of which took place on May 15, 2024, when, along with other people, he stole 23 piglets and various items from a rural establishment located near the town of Ombuca, to then transport them in a Ford F 100 truck along National Route 3. It was also determined that between November 31 and December 1, 2023, in the company of other people, he stole 12 lambs from the interior of an unnamed rural establishment located in Villarino. The modus operandi continued between December 26 and 27, 2023, when he entered another field in Ombuca to take 13 lambs and three piglets. The file also indicated that between June 12 and 13, 2024, Bermúdez, along with other unidentified people, stole two calves—of approximately 200 kilograms—from the interior of a rural establishment located in Colonia El Fortín, a rural area of Pedro Luro; and between June 26 and 27, 2024, they returned to take 7 cattle, after cutting a wire that held the gate of access to the same establishment. On July 18, 2024, he stole a red-coated Aberdeen Angus calf weighing about 170 kilos, which had come out of the field 'La Vizcaina', located in the rural area of Teniente Origone, and killed it, then transported it in his Ford F 100 truck to Mayor Buratovich. In addition, Bermúdez was accused of mistreating a dogo breed dog he had at his home—tied to the bumper of a truck—on August 16, 2024, during a search warrant. According to reports, the animal was in a state of malnutrition and had an advanced case of mange due to not having received any veterinary treatment, a situation of mistreatment confirmed by a veterinarian.
