The man at the center of a Flagler County animal cruelty investigation that gained widespread attention on social media has now been sentenced.
Angel Valdes, 70, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals in a Flagler County court Wednesday. His adjudication was withheld, and he was sentenced to 12 months of probation with community service, an animal cruelty program and is prohibited from owning or possessing animals.
Valdes and his son, Roy Valdes Hernandez, 35, were each arrested and charged with tormenting, depriving, mutilating or killing an animal on July 9, accused of leaving two dogs — an English bulldog and a pit bull mix — in the back of a moving U-Haul truck as temperatures reached 102 degrees.
Related: Previous coverage of this case
2 Miami men arrested after dogs found trapped in sweltering U-Haul in Flagler County
The dogs were treated at an emergency veterinary hospital and later released to animal control.
Witnesses who called 911 reported seeing a dog attempting to climb out of the back of the truck through the rear cargo door, which was left partially open. When deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office tracked Valdes and Hernandez to a RaceTrac in Palm Coast, the two men told them the dogs were not in distress and “just needed water.”
Deputies opened the cargo area of the truck and found the two dogs lying in their own urine and unable to stand. Officers with Palm Coast Animal Control took possession of the dogs, along with two pigeons that found in the truck.
Video of the incident later drew more than 80,000 views across multiple social media platforms online.
Chloe, the English bulldog rescued from the truck, is now available for adoption through S.M.A.R.T., according to founder Caroline Johnson.
The case against Valdes Hernandez remains pending. He was scheduled for arraignment Tuesday, but court records did not show a disposition as of Wednesday.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to include information from SMART founder Caroline Johnson about Chloe’s adoption status.
