MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — The 42-year-old man seen leading and yanking his 6-year-old stepson by a dog collar, punching and kicking the child repeatedly on surveillance video, will avoid prison time in Miami-Dade County.
As part of a plea deal, Zachary Perez pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse in exchange for two years of community control with a GPS monitor and 10-year probation.
The incidents happened back in May, at the Snapper Creek townhouses in southwest Miami-Dade. Since his arrest, the victim’s mother and other ex-partner’s of Perez all came forward to say he was abusive, and even made death threats.
The state referred to him as a ticking time bomb. Perez’s mother testified over the summer that he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
If convicted at trial, Perez could have been sentenced to four to 30 years in prison. Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Richard Hersch said he was relying on the guardian ad litem program because this was not a plea he would’ve accepted.
Related story: Miami-Dade man accused of beating stepson, 6, putting dog collar on him
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