WATCH: Brevard Sheriff’s Office Arrests Merritt Island Man for Animal Abuse After Starving His Dog to Death
By Space Coast Daily // March 5, 2024
suspect identified Clarence Jones, 69, from Merritt Island
ABOVE VIDEO: Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 69-year-old Clarence Jones for Animal Abuse after he starved his dog to death, according to Sheriff Ivey.
BREVARD COUNTY • SHARPES, FLORIDA – Clarence Jones of Merritt Island has been charged with one count of felony Animal Cruelty-Torture Inflict Pain Serious Physical Injury/ Death, two counts of misdemeanor Animal Cruelty and three counts of Unlawful Confinement Without Food and Water, and Brevard County Sheriff personally walked him into the Brevard County jail in Sharpes.
Brevard County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested the 69-year-old Jones after a citizen tipped off BCSO that he starved his dog to death, according to Sheriff Ivey in a video posted from the Brevard County Jail in Sharpes.
“You’re probably wondering why I’m standing in the sally port of our jail holding a sandwich that’s made out of pine straw and leaves,” said Sheriff Ivey in the video.
“Well, it’s because I’m about to walk this sorry big bag of crap into our jail for animal cruelty, and a bunch of other charges. This guy, Clarence Jones, starved his dog to death – and when I say starved him to death, all we found during the necropsy was pine straw and leaves in his stomach,” said a disgusted Sheriff Ivey.
Sheriff Ivey then said, “So I wish I could feed this to him. I wish the law allowed me to feed this to Clarence Jones and let him try and live off of this crap. But instead, we have to follow the rules and have to do things right, when he didn’t have to.”
The case started on Feb. 5 when the Brevard County Sheriff’s Animal Services Team and Deputies responded to Jones’s house in response to an anonymous citizen who complained that Jones was mistreating his dogs.
“Thankfully, the citizen called us,” said Sheriff Ivey. “Our team went out, but unfortunately, it was too late, because what we found was his dog that was completely emaciated and had starved to death. And as I said, when they did the necropsy on him, all they found in his stomach was dirt, pine straw and leaves. That’s how desperately this dog was trying to survive.”
Sheriff Ivey thanked 18th Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Jigisa Patel-Dookhoo, who set Jones’ bond at $20,000.
“That’s what our judges are supposed to be doing, keeping bad people locked up behind bars,” said Sheriff Ivey.“Thank you to the citizen who called us, but unfortunately, it was just too late – our team couldn’t save this poor dog. Thanks to a great judge and thanks to this team, AJ and Aaron and Matt Rush, our whole team here that worked on this case and brought this guy to justice.”
Sheriff Ivey said animals need special attention from the public because they can’t dial 9-1-1.
“As I always tell people, not all victims can dial 911. You’re their voice. Call us, let us know when this is going on and I promise you, I’ll come lock their sorry butts up and put him in jail. And like I said, I wish I could feed him that pine straw sandwich, but unfortunately, the law makes me do it differently.”
