JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — What began as a drug investigation in Jacksonville earlier this year ended with a man facing more than 12 animal cruelty charges.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said deputies providing search warrants at the suspect’s home have found several neglected dogs used in dog fights and a 9-foot alligator they believe are being given other animals on their property.
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The investigation began in March after detectives received hints that a home on the northwest side of Jacksonville was being used to distribute illegal drugs. Authorities said they found cocaine, oxycodone, marijuana and several firearms at home.
The resident and suspect under investigation, 49-year-old Mary Williams, has been arrested on multiple felony drugs and weapons charges, according to the sheriff’s office.
However, while at home, he also noticed that the deputies were called “dog combat equipment.” Their findings included Dog Fighting Trophy and books on the subject.
Animal control officers continued to search the facility in depth, spotting multiple dogs in the Skybox, some leaned together. Officials said none of the dogs have access to the water, and almost everything is covered in feces and fleas.
Investigators said some dogs appeared to have wounds or injuries that were in the process of healing. Other animals, including young raccoons and turtles, were found under similar conditions.
What was even more “shocking” was that the nine-foot alligator was kept in a small fenced area. Detectives say the bones scattered on the ground inside the enclosure indicate that the crocodile’s only food source is the other animals on the facility. There was no water either in the cage.
The Sheriff’s Office said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Board and an annoying crocodile wrangler came and safely removed the crocodile from the facility.
In addition to drug charges, Williams is currently facing more than a dozen animal cruelty charges, including illegally owning alligators and promoting dog fights. He was booked at the Duval County Jail for “putting humans and animals at risk,” the sheriff’s office said.
