{"id":48045,"date":"2024-07-24T01:40:46","date_gmt":"2024-07-24T05:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=48045"},"modified":"2024-07-24T19:00:55","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T23:00:55","slug":"illegal-animal-slaughter-farm-located-in-brooksville-operation-barker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2024\/07\/24\/illegal-animal-slaughter-farm-located-in-brooksville-operation-barker\/","title":{"rendered":"Illegal animal slaughter farm located in Brooksville &#8211; OPERATION BARKER"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color has-large-font-size wp-elements-1 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>WARNING &#8212;- VIDEO POSTS ARE GRAPHIC <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ARM investigators pursued a lead after discovering a post on Craigslist advertising \u2018live animals and meat for sale\u2019 at an illegal animal slaughter farm located in Brooksville, Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Lina Esco -  Addresses Horse Slaughter in Florida\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/954586569?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The property and place of business are owned and operated by Juan Ortiz, a Cuban man in his 60\u2019s, and his son, who is in his 30\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During this investigation, Ortiz confessed to ARM operatives that he had been butchering cows, horses, sheep, goats, and poultry at this location for over four years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also disclosed servicing individual customers, supplying to small markets, butcher shops, restaurants, catering events, trading live animals for meat, and religious sacrifice. They are also selling to USDA animal slaughterhouses that ARM has previously investigated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C90JwayyQoa\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C90JwayyQoa\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C90JwayyQoa\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by World Animal News (@worldanimalnews_)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While undercover, ARM witnessed and documented some of the most inhumane, illegal, and violent crimes executed upon animals, including pigs being struck repeatedly over the head with 2 x 4 wooden slabs, being asphyxiated by ropes, and stabbed repeatedly in the chest\/heart and hammered to death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As grim as these findings revealed, the most prominent component of this case, titled Operation Barker, lies around ARM obtaining the entire process of horses being killed for their meat for human consumption. This has never been documented by an animal advocacy organization or&nbsp;any&nbsp;law enforcement agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-luminous-vivid-orange-color has-text-color has-link-color has-large-font-size wp-elements-2 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>WARNING &#8212;- VIDEO POSTS ARE GRAPHIC <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Operation Barker -Horse slaughter and the murder of Funny Biz.\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/950096818?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ARM\u2019s findings revealed that Ortiz and his backyard business are heavily connected to the black-market horse meat industry that has been running rampant throughout the State of Florida for decades, now reaching the status of organized crime for stealing, procuring, transporting, receiving, killing, and selling horse meat across the county, and even state lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Furthermore, this investigation unveiled the butchering of not just any horse but a registered, tattooed thoroughbred racehorse known as Funny Biz -an 8-year-old mare whose lineage traces back to the infamous Secretariat. This type of crime escalates slaughtering horses from a third-degree felony under The Good Horse Slaughter ACT to a second-degree felony conviction and a penalty of up to 15 years imprisonment for killing an identified thoroughbred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ortiz\u2019s animal slaughter farm is not only guilty of brutally torturing and killing animals for a profit on a large scale, but he has also been operating without any licenses, registrations, or regulations by an agency, imposing a grave risk to the health and safety of customers and consumers for preparing and selling unsanitary meat. This location is mere miles from the Hernando County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To learn more about Operation Barker, click here to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/animalrecoverymission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Operation-Barker.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>READ THE FULL REPORT.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A sample of significant crimes witnessed by ARM investigators include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Killing registered, tattooed thoroughbred racehorses for human consumption.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Animals are not stunned by appropriate devices, rendered unconscious, or deemed insensible to pain prior to the slaughter process, per the Humane Slaughter Act.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Animals are bludgeoned with wooden boards and hammers to the head and asphyxiated with ropes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Animals are inhumanely handled, dragged, and butchered in front of other animals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Goats, sheep, and pigs are stabbed repeatedly in the throat and chest with foot-long blades while screaming and thrusting, displaying clear signs of life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Animals are butchered in unsanitary, illegal, open-air butcher areas, allowing the meat to be exposed to flies and insects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sale of unadulterated, un-inspected meat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Animal carcasses are illegally disposed of in piles and shallow graves strewn across the property.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Blood from slaughtered animals, excessive animal excrement, and dead bodies are threatening public health and safety. Body fluids from animals are pooling into the ground, potentially contaminating public groundwater.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Animals are butchered on the ground on top of decaying animal carcasses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dogs are encouraged to attack animals as they are dragged to butcher areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Zoning and building codes are grossly violated. No government oversight or licensing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Guilty of illegally trading wildlife on a statewide level for ritualistic and meat purposes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-vivid-purple-color has-text-color has-link-color has-large-font-size wp-elements-3 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>WARNING &#8212;- VIDEO POSTS ARE GRAPHIC <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Operation Barker -The Farm\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/955047506?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During Operation Barker, ARM witnessed and documented multiple felony acts of animal cruelty resulting in death and countless misdemeanor crimes that were executed by Juan \u2018George\u2019 Ortiz, his son Carlos Jnr, and several employees of Ortiz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ARM presented this case to the Hernando Sherriff\u2019s office as well as multiple state agencies, including FDLE and the USDA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time of the release of Operation Barker, no arrests have been made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please continue to monitor this page for breaking updates, arrests, and hopeful animal rescue missions conducted by ARM Sanctuary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WARNING &#8212;- VIDEO POSTS ARE GRAPHIC ARM investigators pursued a lead after discovering a post on Craigslist advertising \u2018live animals and meat for sale\u2019 at an illegal animal slaughter farm&hellip; 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