Lawyer: Drop charges in Waukegan dog killing

A lawyer for a Waukegan man accused of brutally attacking a female family member and killing three dogs has asked a Lake County judge to dismiss the charged in the case.

Defense attorney Robert Ritacca filed a formal request with Judge James Booras on Thursday to drop charges against Juan Rositas, 49, claiming police did not obtain a search warrant when investigating the alleged attacks.

"The problem is they didn't have a search warrant to collect evidence," Ritacca said. "The police entered the residence without authorization from the homeowner without a search warrant and started collecting evidence. That's not right."

Rositas is held in Lake County jail on $750,000 bail.

He is charged in two separate cases, authorities said, one focusing mostly on attacks against the family member and one that focuses on torturing and killing three dogs.

Authorities allege that between November 2014 and January 2015, Rositas tied up and beat a dog named Toro with a sledgehammer, suffocated a dog named Bandit, and struck a third dog named Ranger in the body.

All three dogs died and were buried in Rositas' backyard, authorities said. The animals' bodies were exhumed and examined by investigators, authorities said.

Rositas faces nine total counts of armed violence, animal torture and aggravated cruelty to animals. He faces 3 to 7 years in prison if convicted of those attacks.

Rositas also is charged with armed violence, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated domestic battery and intimidation for the threats made to the family member between April 5 to April 10.

Authorities said the victim was threatened with physical harm if she went to the hospital and was forced to say she'd been having an affair.

If found guilty of the most serious charge, Rositas could be sentenced to jail for up to 30 years.

Ritacca also filed motions in court Thursday to suppress statements Rositas made to police and to request lab reports for any evidence collected in the house.

Rositas is due back in court July 13 for a status update. Booras requested the two sides "find some common ground" and work on a potential settlement to the case.