Once again, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has dodged another political bullet now that a Maricopa County Grand Jury has reinstated animal cruelty charges only against the owners of Green Acre Boarding in Gilbert in connection with the deaths of 21 dogs and the injury of four others that occurred in June, 2014. Jesse Todd Hughes, age 32, and Maleisa Maurine Hughes, age 46, each face 21 Class 6 felony counts and 7 Class 1 misdemeanor counts of Maleisa Maurine Hughes, while Senator Jeff Flake’s son and daughter in-law, Austin and Logan Flake, who were caring for the dogs at the time of their deaths, go uncharged.
Jesse Todd Hughes, and Maleisa Maurine Hughes also face one Class 2 felony count of fraudulent schemes and artifices. Prosecutors had previously dismissed animal cruelty charges filed in an earlier indictment against the couple and Austin and Logan Flake.
On June 21, 2014, more than 20 dead and injured dogs were discovered at Green Acre Boarding near Greenfield and Queen Creek Roads in Gilbert. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation and submitted their findings to the County Attorney’s Office on August 27, 2014. On October 13, 2014, a Grand Jury charged Jesse and Maleisa Hughes with one count of fraud and, along with Austin and Logan Flake, multiple counts of animal cruelty. On December 22, 2014, prosecutors announced the dismissal without prejudice of the animal cruelty counts, leaving the fraud count against Jesse and Maleisa Hughes.
An arraignment on the current charges is scheduled for June 3, 2015. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.