Alleged cat abuser faces new allegations

With new allegations filed against him, a man charged with torturing and killing cats now potentially faces a longer prison sentence if convicted of animal cruelty.

Prosecutors last week amended the charges against Timothy Kooyman, adding allegations that Kooyman used scissors as a deadly weapon in the course of abusing cats in May in Rancho Cucamonga.

The four felony charges originally filed against Kooyman included a potential prison sentence of five years. With the new allegations, Kooyman, 25, faces up to seven years in prison.

Prosecutors accuse of Kooyman of luring stray cats, then breaking their legs and cutting off their tails with scissors.

Kooyman is also accused of dousing a cat in gasoline and setting it on fire, causing a small brushfire in a dry field in Rancho Cucumonga.

When Kooyman was arrested May 13, a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy found two abused, bloodied cats in Kooyman's truck. The cats were later euthanized.

Deputy District Attorney Debbie Ploghaus said that when she originally filed the case, she was not aware that she could add deadly-weapons allegations in a case where an animal was the alleged victim.

Ploghaus said she added the allegations against Kooyman after finding a case that established a precedent allowing the allegations in cases involving animals.

Kooyman, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the original felony counts, is due in West Valley Superior Court on Thursday to be arraigned on the new allegations.