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Scarred pit bulls confiscated

Some of the 15 dogs apparently had been injured in fights. An 80-year-old Thonotosassa man is arrested.

By ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published August 12, 2006

TAMPA - Investigators searched the Thonotosassa home Thursday evening for drugs, but what they found were more than a dozen pit bullterriers scarred from dogfighting, deputies say.

Several of the 15 pit bulls found in cages at the home of 80-year-old Ray Starks had deep, open wounds, said Animal Services spokeswoman Marti Ryan. One puppy was covered in ants. The dogs' food was infested with bugs.

Starks, 9870 Rockhill Road, was arrested at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. He faces charges of dogfighting, animal cruelty and improper confinement without food or water, according to an arrest report. He was being held at the county jail Friday on $45,500 bail.

This wasn't the first time Starks has been arrested.

In 1983, the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office accused Starks of attempted first-degree murder, a charge that was later dropped, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. In 1995, he received two years of probation for cocaine possession. In 1996, he received another two years of probation for cocaine possession, records show.

Starks' arrest Thursday led investigators to seven other pit bulls being held at the home of Mark Laketh Jackson, 36, of 11665 U.S. 301 N, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. Those dogs were also turned over to Animal Services, but Jackson was not charged in connection with them, Carter said. He faces charges of cocaine possession, according to an arrest report.

Investigators also arrested three men at Starks' home on drug charges. Bobby Lee Roberts, 23, faces charges of cocaine and marijuana possession. Ruben Anderson III, 28, of 904 Providence Lake Road, Brandon, faces charges of armed trafficking in cocaine and a felon in possession of a firearm. James Lee Cobb III, 28, of 11717 N 14th St., Tampa, faces charges of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Now, authorities must decide what to do with the dogs.

Starks' personal pets - a Chihuahua, a couple of rabbits, a cockatiel and a couple of parakeets - were confiscated, but they appear to be in much better condition than the pit bulls, Ryan said.

Adoption may not be possible, both because of their medical condition and their aggressive behavior.

"There is certainly the possibility that they will be humanely euthanized," she said.

She emphasized that dogfighting will not be tolerated by local law enforcement.

"We encourage people, if they feel that it's going on, to let us know," she said. "This is a big deal."

[Last modified August 12, 2006, 01:38:53]