EL DORADO -- A 19-year-old with a yearlong history of dog-related crimes in the city has been arrested and charged with five counts of aggravated cruelty to an animal after allegedly housing six pit bulls for dogfighting. Five were injured and were later euthanized, officials said.
Jordan Ross, 19, of El Dorado, was arrested after being charged with aggravated robbery for a separate incident on Feb. 17. El Dorado police and Union County animal control officers investigated and connected Ross to a police report filed in late December.
On Dec. 28, animal control officer Charles Hartsell went to a house in the 1200 block of Detroit Avenue in response to a dogfighting report. In a wooded area to the left of the residence, Hartsell said he expected to find some scarred dogs, but instead found six pit bulls, five male and one female, chained, with fresh wounds; some had ears cut off.
After identifying Ross as the dogs' owner, Hartsell said he took the pit bulls with the intent to rehabilitate them.
"We put them in the pound, put out a Facebook post, and started taking donations. We wanted to see if we could adopt some out, but it just wasn't going to happen. We had to euthanize all but one," he said.
Hartsell said he suspected that the dogs were stolen from other homes in the area.
Police said investigators had found three reports from last year that involved Ross and stolen pit bulls used for dog fights, some dating back to January. In August, police and animal control officers visited his house on the 700 block of Smith Street. They talked with Ross' relatives and asked to search the premises.
"We saw that he was caring for a puppy when he wasn't supposed to," Hartsell said.
Police tried arresting Ross for possession of an animal, but he ran from authorities and later was charged with fleeing.
Based on the seriousness of the crime, Ross' prior arrest for fleeing, his charges for aggravated robbery and the number of dogs included in the animal cruelty charges, District Judge Jack Barker agreed with State Prosecutor Greg Thomas' suggested $25,000 cash or corporate surety bond for the five counts of aggravated cruelty to an animal.
He is being held on cash or corporate surety bonds totaling $50,000, half for aggravated robbery and half for the animal cruelty.
One of the pit bulls found is still alive and animal control officers are caring for it.
Two other residents, Darrell L. Love, 33, and Charles Taylor, 30, were arrested for similar criminal activity.
State Desk on 03/10/2017