A Long Beach man was sentenced to jail for misdemeanor domestic violence and violating two restraining orders, including one in which he stole a family dog, the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday.
Ignacio Ramirez, 43, was handed down a three-and-a-half year sentence by Long Beach Superior Court Judge Halim Dhanidina for the most recent case, during which Ramirez violated both a civil restraining order and a criminal protective order last August, and two probation violations for earlier convictions, officials stated.
“In one incident, Ramirez was caught on a neighbor’s security camera circling his ex-wife’s house for nearly two hours while she was inside,” a release stated. “On a separate incident, Ramirez drove into the alley behind her house, entered the property and stole the children’s dog.”
Officials said Rocky, the Newfoundland dog, was eventually returned unharmed.
In other instances, Ramirez returned to the house and climbed and damaged parts of the back fence, which the victim erected to protect herself from the defendant. He also harassed the victim by fraudulently canceling her utilities and health insurance, officials stated.
City Prosecutor Doug Haubert praised the conviction, calling the outcome appropriate and just.
“The defendant has a history of violence against his wife and disregarding court orders issued to protect her,” Haubert stated. “In this case, the only way to protect the victim and the public is to sentence the defendant to jail.”
The judge ordered one charge to be served concurrently with others, so the maximum time Ramirez could serve in jail is two and a half years, according to officials.
“Given the defendant’s menacing behavior toward his own family and his repeated failure to obey court orders, jail is the right outcome for this abuser,” said Deputy City Prosecutor Pooja Kumar, who handled the jury trial and sentencing.
Ramirez could be released before the end of 2016 due to county early release policies, officials stated.
This report was updated on 03/22/16 at 10:38AM, clarifying the office involved as the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office.