Lake Butler men: last 2 defendants awaiting trial
BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Monitor Editor
LAKE BUTLER— A Union County man and a resident of Moultrie, Georgia both pleaded to charges related to the abuse of bears in several locations including the Ocala National Forest.
The case stretches back four years. State officials said the defendants used trained dogs to viciously attack black bears in several wildlife areas, including the Ocala National Forest. The abuse was discovered after the defendants posted videos of the activity on social media.
Last month William Tyler Wood of Lake Butler became the sixth person to plead in the case
Wood, 32, pleaded guilty in Ocala to five counts of felony cruelty to animals and one count each of conspiracy to commit RICO Act violations, using an animal to fight or bait another animal, felony littering, unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony and unlawful taking of a black bear.
He was sentenced to one year in jail and 10 years’ probation. Wood was also ordered to surrender his 14 dogs and was barred from owning hunting dogs in the future. He is also prohibited from hunting in the national forest.
Mark Christopher Lindsey, 29, of Moultrie, Georgia, was sentenced on Friday, June 10 to 270 days in jail and eight years’ probation. He is also prohibited from hunting and owning hunting dogs.
Lindsey pleaded to charges similar to Wood.
The last two defendants in the case awaiting trial are Dustin Reddish, 29, and Troy Travis Starling, 49, both of Lake Butler.
