Trumbull Children Services: Juvenile had sexual contact with animal

WARREN — The Warren Police Department may have its first reason to file a criminal charge against someone under its new bestiality ordinance.

A boy, 16, of Homewood Avenue Southeast, has been accused of having sexual contact with an animal, according to a Warren police report. A detective has been assigned to investigate.

According to the report, Trumbull County Children Services contacted Warren police at noon Monday to report the incident. The report does not indicate what type of animal or what kind of contact.

Warren City Council passed legislation June 22 that makes bestiality against the law in Warren. It was the first city in Ohio to enact such legislation, though 39 other states have statewide bestiality laws.

Under the ordinance, it is a first-degree misdemeanor to have sex with an animal.

The issue came to the fore in Warren because animal cruelty charges were filed in April against Salvador Rendon, 61, of Warren, accusing him of having sex repeatedly with two boxer dogs owned by his daughter at his home on Ward Avenue Northwest.

Rendon pleaded no contest in Warren Municipal Court to one count of animal cruelty and was sentenced to 12 days in the Trumbull County jail in addition to the 18 days already served, for a total of 30 days.

Municipal Judge Thomas Gysegem also ordered Rendon to have no contact with animals during the five years of his probation.

Rendon appears again in Warren Municipal Court Oct. 4 for another hearing in his case so that Judge Tom Gysegem can review the mental-health counseling program Rendon has undergone.