Man gets 8 years for stealing pups at gunpoint

updated 6:24 p.m. ET Jan. 10, 2008

LOS ANGELES - A man who stole purebred Yorkshire terrier puppies at gunpoint was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison.

Troy Cabral sobbed as he was sentenced in Superior Court. He pleaded guilty in November to robbery with use of a gun and assault with a firearm in the Feb. 23 holdup.

Cabral's attorney, James P. Cooper III, said the sentence "was appropriate considering the allegation of gun use."

Prosecutors said Cabral, 24, and Ryan Betton, 19, went to the Wilshire-area home of a family that had advertised the puppies for sale at $2,500 each. They said they wanted to see the puppies, then returned later and rushed inside when the door was opened.

They ordered the residents to the floor at gunpoint and stuffed three puppies and an adult dog into garbage bags before fleeing.

Cabral and Betton turned themselves in after surveillance camera footage of the theft aired on television. The dogs were later recovered.

Betton was sentenced to two years in prison in December after pleading guilty to robbery.

MORE FROM CRIME & COURTS

Crime & courts Section Front

Suspect in cop-killings eludes police Man charged with killing wife, 2 daughters Competency hearing begins in Smart case Prisoner pulls gun on guards, escapes Ark. officer who Tasered girl, 10, is fired Ex-Ohio autoworker tried for 27,900 deaths   Cops: Sharpton daughter said she was in rush 3 boys held in attacks on redheads Man arrested in Salvation Army kettle theft Ore. anti-tax leader indicted on tax charges Crime & courts Section Front   Add Crime & courts headlines to your news reader: