Man pleads guilty to torturing black bears in Ocala National Forest, sentenced a year in jail

Two months ago, a judge approved a plea deal for a man accused of abusing and mistreating black bears in forests statewide. On Thursday morning, the same judge was on the bench as one more person decided to accept a plea deal in that case.

Of the nine people charged, William Tyler Wood became the sixth to resolve his case. He pleaded guilty to five counts of felony cruelty to animals and one count each of conspiracy to commit RICO Act violation, using animal to fight or bait another animal, felony littering, unlawful use of two-way communications device to facilitate, and unlawful taking of black bear.

Wood, 32, of Lake Butler, was accompanied in court by three women and his lawyer, Britney Sanford-Soles of Jacksonville. He was sentenced to serve 364 days in the Marion County Jail followed by 10 years of probation.

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Wood cannot hunt in the Ocala National Forest or own any hunting dogs. He and his co-defendants must pay the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission $22,847 and the Statewide Prosecutor's Office (SPO) $14,688.43, according to the deal. He also must surrender 14 dogs.

Robert Miller of the SPO was present at the hearing.

Sanford-Soles asked the judge to allow Wood serve his time at jails in Union or Bradford counties. Tatti told the lawyer that the sheriffs from Marion and those two counties would have to make any such arrangements.

She also asked if Wood could delay the start of his jail term until May 31. The judge said he doesn't typically grant delays for jail time, but made an exception in this case for Wood, who wants to spend some time with his son.

The judge warned Wood that if he's a no show, then the plea deal is off and he could face up to 30 years in prison.

These co-defendants have resolved their cases with plea deals: William "Willie Bob" Edward Landrum, 43, from Virginia; Hannah Weiner Scarbrough, 30; her husband, Charles, 33, both of Callahan, Florida; Haley Reddish, 28, of Lake Butler; and Christopher Elliot Haun, 45, of Ormond Beach.

Dustin Reddish, 29, and Troy Travis Starling, 49, both of Lake Butler, and Mark Christopher Lindsey, 29, of Moultrie, Georgia, are the only ones whose cases are still pending.

Black bears hunted

This case stretches back four years. State officials said the defendants used trained dogs to viciously attack black bears in several wildlife areas, including the Ocala National Forest.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the people used tasty treats to attract the animals, which were then chased by the dogs. State investigators said the dogs were monitored with GPS.

The scared bears would climb trees and stayed there, hoping the dogs would leave. Rather than leaving, officials said, the dogs would remain at their posts. The bears would jump from tree to tree, with some of them falling to the ground.

The dogs would then run after the bears and savagely hunt them. Authorities said at least one bear was shot and later skinned.

Images of the bears' ordeals were recorded and placed on social media, officials said.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 at austin.miller@starbanner.com.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Florida man pleads guilty to torturing black bears in Ocala forest