Helion Florian-Tejada, 26, of Mason City, was arrested Aug. 16 and charged with possession of crack cocaine, a serious misdemeanor, and dog fighting, a Class D felony, according to the Mason City Police Department.
He was released from jail Aug. 17.
A 17-year-old juvenile from Mason City also was arrested and charged with dog fighting, and released to a family member. The juvenile�s name was unavailable late Tuesday.
Both arrests stemmed from an incident that occurred on Aug. 4 at 702 N. Delaware Ave. Mason City Animal Control officers seized ten pit bulls. Florian-Tejada was arrested by investigators with the Mason City Drug Enforcement Team.
A Class D felony is punishable by up to 5 years in prison. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by up to 1 year in prison.
Police said the investigation continues and more arrests are expected.
The city of Mason City, the North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force and the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff�s Department also assisted in the case. Case UpdatesA Mason City man was sentenced to 92 days in jail after pleading guilty to animal neglect and possession of methamphetamine.
Helion Danilo Florian Tejada, 27, initially was charged with dog fighting.
The charges stem from an Aug. 4, 2006, incident where police observed a group of men involved in what officers believed was a dog fight.
When officers approached the group, the men fled, police said.
Tejada was charged and at least seven dogs were seized and euthanized.
He was released from jail after posting bond but missed two court appearances. He was found in Philadelphia in July.
Tejada also was ordered to pay a $315 fine and had his driving privileges revoked for 180 days.
Charges also are pending against a 17-year-old boy, who was charged in juvenile court, but authorities say they have not been able to locate the boy. | Source: Des Moines Register - Oct 11, 2007
Update posted on Oct 13, 2007 - 10:12PM |
| A man accused of dog-fighting and possession of crack cocaine remains at large. Helion Florian-Tejada failed to appear in court for arraignment, and a warrant remains active for his arrest. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is encouraged to call the Cerro Gordo Sheriff's Office at 641/421-3001. Florian-Tejada's co-defendant, Brandon Holton, is going through delinquency proceedings in juvenile court. | Source: Case # FECR015242
Update posted on Jan 19, 2007 - 5:29PM |
A Cerro Gordo County District Court judge Wednesday ordered that 10 dogs held as evidence in a dog fighting case be put to death.
Judge Paul Riffel�s ruling came two days after veterinarian Jeff Cornick of the Pioneer Animal Hospital said the dogs could not be rehabilitated or placed safely with new owners.
The dogs, nine pit bulls and a Rottweiler, were seized after two Mason City men were arrested on dog fighting charges in August.
�I don�t think you can blame the dogs,� said Assistant County Attorney Carlyle Dalen. �They are clearly the victims of the people who trained them for fighting.
�If these same dogs had been brought up in a decent home, where they had not been subjected to the aggression, they could have been good pets,� Dalen said.
In his order, Riffel said state law provides that �if the court determines that an animal is a threatened animal, the court has the authority to dispose of the animal in any manner deemed appropriate for the welfare of the animal.�
He said the law also provides that a dog involved in dog fighting should be considered �threatened and rescued� and can be disposed of in accordance with the law.
Riffel said he concluded from the evidence and testimony that the 10 dogs were threatened animals.
The dogs were seized by Mason City animal control officers after the police department�s Neighborhood Enforcement Team observed people conducting a dog fight Aug. 4 at 702 N. Delaware Ave.
When officers approached, people fled. Two dog owners eventually were charged.
Helios Florian-Tejada, 26, was charged with dog fighting and possession of crack cocaine.
Days later, Brandon D. Holton, 17, Mason City, was charged with dog fighting.
No additional charges have been filed, according to Dalen, but the case remains under investigation.
Cornick said several of the adult pit bulls are very aggressive, especially with other dogs.
He also told Riffel that other dogs are very fearful, a characteristic of dogs involved in fighting.
�If they have bitten someone and gotten results from the aggression,� Cornick said, �they�ll keep doing it.�
He said several of the dogs had bite wounds and sores.
�Some of the younger dogs have not been exposed to social conditions,� he said. �They have shown abnormal puppy behaviors.� | Source: Globe Gazette - Sept 21, 2006
Update posted on Nov 3, 2006 - 4:57PM |
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