Long Beach man accused of sexually abusing dog in jail

A Long Beach landlord accused of sexually abusing his pet dog is back in jail after officials say he violated an order of protection against the tenant who reported the alleged crime.

Police arrested the landlord, Mitchell Marsicano, on Tuesday, after he had some sort of contact with the tenant, a spokesman from the Nassau County district attorney's office said Wednesday. He declined to provide further details.

The spokesman said authorities plan to hold Marsicano, who he said remains in custody in the Nassau County jail until he posts a $20,000 bond or $10,000 cash bail.

Marsicano is due back in a Long Beach court Friday, accused of violating the order of protection. He is scheduled to face charges that include misdemeanor sexual abuse of an animal and felony burglary on Nov. 3 in Nassau County court, the district attorney's office spokesman said. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Marsicano is charged with burglary because he is alleged to have gone upstairs into the tenant's apartment to engage in the act with the dog, prosecutors have said. The tenant said in a previous interview with Newsday the dog is a 4-year-old male shiba inu, which was in his apartment because he often would care for the dog.

Marsicano's criminal defense attorney, Leslie Shamis of Long Beach, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Jed Painter, the assistant district attorney prosecuting the case, had said the dog was being kept at the Freeport Animal Shelter.