BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Monitor Editor
LAKE BUTLER— April trial dates have been set in Marion County for three Lake Butler men accused of abusing bears in the Ocala National Forest.
Dustin Reddish, William Tyler Wood and Troy Travis Starling are charged with several felonies and misdemeanors including animal cruelty, illegal taking and baiting of black bear and Florida RICO Act violations.
Also slated for trial is Christopher Lindsey of Moultrie, Georgia.
According to a news release by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the defendants lured black bears by placing drums of dog food, doughnuts, pastries and peanut butter in various areas throughout Baker, Flagler, Marion and Union counties. The defendants then used large packs of dogs to chase and maul the black bears.
“After some of the attacks, the defendants posted numerous videos of the acts on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat,” the agency said in the news release. “None of the individuals involved tried to call off the dogs or stop the attack on the bears. The Office of Statewide Prosecution obtained warrants for the social media accounts where the defendants posted videos of the attacks.”
Another defendant: William Edward Landrum of Millboro, Virginia pleaded guilty on March 25 to animal cruelty and will serve 5 years’ probation.
In 2020 Haley Anders of Lake Butler pleaded guilty to similar charges and agreed to testify against eight co-defendants, including her ex-husband, Dustin Reddish.
Anders will serve between 18 months and 4 years in prison. Also pleading guilty with promises to help prosecutors are Christopher Elliot Haun of Ormond Beach who will be sentenced to 8 years’ probation, Charles “Buddy” Luther Scarbough III of Callahan who will be sentenced to between 5 years’ probation and 5 years in prison and Hannah Scarbough of Callahan who will be sentenced to 5 years’ probation.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by an Orlando television station, FWC obtained information in January 2018 that black bears were being killed by dogs in North Florida after being baited.
Following the tip, FWC conducted an 11-month investigation which included examining the defendants’ social media accounts and placing a GPS tracking device on Dustin Reddish’s truck.
Investigators found videos posted on Haley Reddish’s Instagram account in November 2017 showing dogs fighting with bears.
News 6 also reported that in a Feb. 11, 2018, Instagram video posted on Haley Reddish’s account, a bear is videoed clinging to the top of a tree while dogs barked below.
“Someone can be heard beating the tree with a stick, according to FWC, which causes the bear to jump off and land on the ground where it is attacked by a pack of dogs,” the station reported.
“This bear thought he could fly,” Reddish allegedly wrote on her Instagram page under the video.
News 6 also said investigators believe the group was training dogs to hunt bears in order to sell the dogs in states that allow bear hunting. Florida does not.
