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Three people arrested in Citrus County following an animal cruelty investigation

- Florida, USA -

 

Deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office arrested three people following an animal cruelty investigation involving a residence in Inverness.

 

At the beginning of January 2024, Animal Control Officers responded to a residence on East Watson Street and upon arrival, they “noticed a strong odor of animal feces and ammonia outside of the residence”, said the sheriff’s office.

 

Officers made contact with 23-year-old CHELSEA MARIA ANN SAAVEDRA ST. HILAIRE (pictured), who advised there were three dogs living on the enclosed patio and an additional three living inside her residence.

 

When deputies and Animal Control Officers entered the residence, they found multiple piles of garbage bags mixed with animal feces. They also reported finding multiple soiled diapers and empty liquor bottles scattered throughout the bedroom.

 

Urine was found inside the bathroom, and in the kitchen were stacks of dirty dishes and two buckets with mold growing inside them.

 

The release by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office described the floors of the entire home as being “spongy and caked with feces” and many holes were also observed in the ceiling.

 

Many cats were found roaming inside the home but were able to come and go through windows.

 

An additional dog was found inside the home who had not been mentioned by ST. HILAIRE.

 

According to officers, there was little food and zero sources of water for any of the animals and most dogs had missing patches of fur due to fleas.

 

As officers continued their investigation, they discovered two juveniles living inside, one of which was crawling on the ground. The two children were immediately removed from the home.

 

The sheriff’s office said that a total of seven dogs were removed from the house as well as the cats roaming near the residence and they were all taken to the Citrus County Animal Shelter to be examined and treated.

 

Deputies arrested ST. HILAIRE, 68-year-old TINA JANE MADDOX , and 24-year-old ROBERT WAYNE BROOKS (all pictured). They were all charged with seven counts of animal cruelty.

 

Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast said: “The condition of this home was so disgusting that deputies and ACOs could not take a single step without their boot touching feces, urine, or both. No child or animal should ever have to experience living conditions such as this. I am thankful for the partnership between our team and the Citrus County Animal Shelter for saving these innocent young children and animals who cannot speak for themselves.”

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

 

 

Mugshots provided to Voice For Us by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office




 
 
 

PATRICIA MARIA VILLADAMIGO and FAUSTINO ALFREDO VALLADARES facing felony animal cruelty charges

- Florida, USA -


The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 46-years-old PATRICIA MARIA VILLADAMIGO and 66-years-old FAUSTINO ALFREDO VALLADARES (both pictured), as a result of an operation dubbed “Operation Rescue Thor.”


In a media release, the sheriff’s office said that on July 31, 2023, deputies, along with Animal Control Officers, launched an investigation at a residence on East McCartney Loop in Inverness, where VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES were alleged to have sixteen dogs and forty chickens and turkeys who were suffering from neglect.


Animal Control investigated the allegations over a four-month period during which VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES were not fully cooperative.


According to the release, all dogs were found to be without current vaccinations, and VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES did not have the required kennel license as mandated by county ordinance for “ownership” of ten or more dogs.


Among the dogs was a 7-year-old male German Shepherd named Thor who was “displaying signs of pain and suffering from a severe ear infection, as well as issues with his hips.”

The sheriff’s office said that VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES “refused to provide treatment for Thor, regardless of being issued a citation and a 24-hour mandate to be treated.”

Not only that, but VILLADAMIGO said animal control officers wouldn't be allowed to check on the well-being of Thor or any of the other animals on the property.


As a result, authorities then got a search warrant which was served last week and arrest warrants for VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES for one count of felony animal cruelty each.


The search warrant led to the discovery and rescue of eighteen (18) dogs, eleven (11) puppies, and seventy-three (73) varying species of fowl. Sadly, one of the birds was found deceased.

The sheriff’s office said that Thor is finally receiving the medical care he needed.


The evil couple surrendered all the Voiceless Victims to Citrus County Animal Services, where they are being assessed and treated.


In a statement, Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast said: “𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝘼𝘾𝙊𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨, 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙧, 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙢 𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙑𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨. 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘼𝘾𝙊𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨.”


VILLADAMIGO is charged with felony animal cruelty, resisting arrest without violence, and obstruction of a search warrant.

VALLADARES is only facing felony animal cruelty.


Disclaimer: This story is sourced from a press release by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. Link included.



Mugshots provided to Voice For Us by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.





 
 
 

LISA MARIE BENNETT arrested on thirty-nine counts of animal cruelty

- Florida, USA -


On the afternoon of Thursday, April 27, 2023, a Citrus County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a home on East Yale Lane in Hernando to assist Citrus County Animal Control Officer Gallant with an animal cruelty complaint.


According to the arrest affidavit for 56-years-old LISA MARIE BENNETT (pictured) obtained by Voice For Us, underneath the carport of the single-wide mobile home, the deputy saw three kennels that had each a dog inside, and another kennel with two dogs inside. All four kennels had layered feces and urine on the ground.


In addition to the kennels, the deputy observed a refrigerator and upon inspection, the deputy discovered that in the freezer compartment were two deceased cats wrapped in separate blankets.


In the backyard the deputy found four large wooden cages containing a total of nineteen cats. “The litter boxes in each cage were overflowing to the point where the ground inside the cages was layered with feces and urine”, stated the affidavit. Most of the cats had feces and urine matted into their fur, and two of them had open sores on their backs, as well as thick discolored mucus secreting from their tiny mouths and nose, making it difficult for them to breathe. ACO Gallant also located a deceased cat in one of the cages.


The deputy reported that the smell of ammonia emanating from the cages was so severe that it made it very difficult to breath, “even when standing multiple feet away from the cages.”


When the deputy and ACO Gallant entered the home, they said the smell of ammonia and feces was so severe that burned their eyes. “There were animal feces throughout the entire house. Some of the feces had been lying there for so long it had molded and began to disintegrate into dust”, stated the affidavit.


Inside the home, in two separate rooms, the deputy and ACO Gallant found a total of seventeen cats and two dogs. Among the dogs was a brown long-haired Chihuahua who was covered in fleas and was blind in one eye.

BENNETT said that the blindness in the Chihuahua’s eyes was due to untreated cataracts. The Chihuahua also had multiple areas of his/her fur severely matted and clumped.


ACO Gallant then advised that in October 2022, Citrus County Animal Control had issued BENNETT a citation and ordered her to fix the problems of the neglected animals and to take them to a veterinarian for care.

ACO Gallant further advised that that the dogs present at the home were in the same kennels as on October 17, 2022, and the living conditions for them were even worse than before.


BENNET said that since the citation, she has not taken any of the animals to the veterinarian and stated that she had been giving the sick and injured animals her prescribed pain medication because the medication prescribed by the vet was expensive.


When asked why she did not contact the Citrus County Animal Shelter or Animal Control to surrender the animals, and ask for assistance, BENNETT stated that she was told to stop calling.

BENNET was then questioned about the litter boxes and the conditions of the cages and the kennels. To that, she responded that it had been approximately three weeks since she had changed the litter in each of the cages.


According to the affidavit, BENNETT said “she did not have any excuse for her actions and lack of caring for all of the animals” and added that it “became too much for her to handle.”


BENNETT was also questioned about the two deceased cats in the freezer and said that they died approximately three weeks apart and she wanted to bury them together so, she froze them until she could bury them.

With regards to the deceased cat found by ACO Gallant, BENNETT said she didn’t realize a cat was missing because she had too many and lost count.


The deputy wrote in his report that due to the unnecessary, preventable, and prolonged pain and suffering the animals endured, and BENNETT admitting to willfully neglecting to take appropriate care of them, BENNET was arrested and charged with four counts of aggravated animal cruelty, and thirty-nine counts of animal cruelty.

Online records show that she is being held in Citrus County Jail on a $47,000 bond.

BENNETT’s arraignment is scheduled to take place on May 12, 2023, at 9:00a.m. before Judge Joel D. Fritton.


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.



BENNETT’s mugshot provided to Voice For Us by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.


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