Married Florida animal torturers admit using DONUTS to lure black bears to woods so their hunting dogs could rip the terrified animals apart
Husband and wife Charles L. Scarbrough, 32, and Hanna Weiner Scarbrough, 29, entered separate guilty pleas on May 13
Charles faces up to two years in prison, while Hannah was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay nearly $27,000 in fines
The two were arrested in 2018 along with seven other after a months-long investigation into the trapping and mauling of bears in the state
The couple posted videos and photos to social media showing mutilated bears and dogs chasing the animals into trees
Group used doughnuts to lure bears to be attacked by dogs. Two plotters just pleaded guilty Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner
Florida s Black Bears: How to stay safe around them
Replay Video
A married couple accused of participating in a horrific bear abuse scheme, where the animals were hunted by packs of dogs for pleasure, have pleaded guilty.
Separately, the man and woman entered their pleas in front of Circuit Judge Anthony Tatti on Thursday.
First up was Charles L. Scarbrough, 32. Standing beside his lawyer, the Callahan man entered his plea on charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering, animal baiting and fighting, unlawful use of a two-way communicating device and unlawful taking of a black bear.
As part of his plea agreement with the statewide prosecutor s office, Scarbrough must testify truthfully against his co-defendants and cooperate with prosecutors.
His sentence, which was deferred, could be anywhere from five years of probation to 25 months in prison. If he goes to prison, then once he s released, he will serve five years on probation.
Next up was his wife, 29-year-old Hannah Weiner Scarbrough, also of Callahan. Scarbrough was ordered to serve five years and three months of probation to run concurrently on charges of unlawful taking of a black bear and unlawful use of a communication device.
According to terms of the agreement, she must pay $3,850.23 to the state for prosecution costs. She also must pay the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission $22,847 for its investigation.