- October 5, 2026
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Bunnell man on an aggravated animal cruelty charge after an investigation into the condition of a severely malnourished horse.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, a deputy with its Agricultural/Ranch Unit responded July 21 to a property on County Road 13 for a welfare check on Laredo, a 27-year-old gelding that appeared to be emaciated. The deputy found the horse with a sunken face and his hips, spine and ribs showing through his hide. The deputy scored Laredo at a one on the Henneke Body Condition Scoring System, the lowest score on the scale.
The Sheriff’s Office said 41-year-old Jim Tyrone Lee had been left in charge of Laredo’s care by the horse’s owner and had been given instructions on how to care for him. Deputies determined Lee was aware of the horse’s severe malnutrition.
Laredo’s owner surrendered the horse to the Sheriff’s Office, and deputies transported him to a local boarding stable, where he was provided food and water.
At the Sheriff’s Office’s request, a veterinarian examined Laredo the following morning and scored his body condition between a one and two. The veterinarian found no signs of infectious disease and determined the horse’s emaciation was caused by inadequate nutrition, lack of access to feed or both. Laredo had not been examined by a veterinarian since 2010.
Bloodwork also showed Laredo had an untreated hormonal disease common in older horses that can cause muscle loss. The veterinarian determined the horse’s condition was caused by inadequate nutrition and worsened by the untreated disease, which routine veterinary care could have detected when his weight loss first became apparent.
Laredo was transported Aug. 7 to SKC Hands Up Horse Rescue. With proper food and care, he has since gained about 150 pounds.
“When you starve a horse down to skin and bones you end up with a stall of your own at the Green Roof Inn,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “This guy watched a 27-year-old horse waste away for months and did nothing about it.”
Staly said people who are unable to care for their animals should seek help rather than allow them to go without food. He also credited the Sheriff’s Office Agricultural/Ranch Unit and the person who reported the horse’s condition with saving Laredo’s life.
Deputies arrested Lee on Sept. 12 on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty. He was taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and later released on $5,000 bond.
