Nine people — including some operating in Baker, Flagler, Marion and Union counties — have been arrested by Florida authorities and charged with racketeering and animal cruelty charges.
Five of the assholes are Florida men, but two Sunshine State ladies and a couple of out-of-state cretins were scooped up, too.
Speaking yesterday at ZooTampa, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi detailed the state investigation and how the goons used idiotic tactics (read: 55 gallons of peanut butter, doughnuts) to lure black bears to a training area; social media posts filmed at the site show large packs of dogs mauling bears that fell out of trees. The pooches, according to officials, were meant to be sold as hunting animals.
"This is not hunting. This is not sport," Bondi said. "This is cruelty to animals."
The 11-month operation led to the rescue of 53 dogs, according to the Tampa Bay Times, which wrote that the state is also working with the Humane Society to find the dogs homes.
Bondi said that the felony charges could lead to up to 30 years in prison for each person and up to five years for each misdemeanor charge.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials approved a week-long bear hunt in 2015, but it was called off after two days of hunting that saw 304 bears killed.
See a list of the arrested below, and see some of the social media video via WFLA.
William Tyler Wood, 29, of Lake Butler
Dustin Reddish, 25, of Lake Butler
Haley Reddish, 25, of Lake Butler
Mark Lindsey, 26, of Moultrie, Georgia
Charles Luther Scarbrough II, 30, of Callahan
Hannah Weiner Scarbrough, 27, of Callahan
Christopher Elliot Haun, 42, of Ormond Beach
William Edward Landrum, 39, of Millboro, Virginia
Troy Travis Starling, 45, of Lake Butler
