A Lake Wales man has been sentenced to 364 days in the Polk County Jail after a jury found him guilty of starving his dog for months, leaving her with missing fur and a severely underweight body before a concerned bystander's call brought deputies to his door. Maurice Owens, 46, received the maximum possible sentence under the charge, according to the State Attorney's Office.
The case began on January 21, when Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a bystander's call about a dog in near-death condition in Lake Wales, as reported by Tampa Bay 28. Deputies found the dog, then known as Queen, severely underweight and missing fur on half her body after being starved and neglected for many months. Owens ultimately surrendered Queen to Polk County Animal Control.
Jury Convicts Owens, Prosecutor Announces Maximum Term
Assistant State Attorney Erica Baker prosecuted Owens before a Polk County jury, which returned a guilty verdict for animal cruelty, according to a February 2026 announcement from 10th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office leader Brian Haas, who oversees criminal prosecutions across Polk, Hardee, and Highlands counties. The office reported that Owens received the maximum sentence of 364 days in the Polk County Jail for the conviction.
Under Florida Statute § 828.12(1), misdemeanor animal cruelty is classified as a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 365 days in jail, probation, and a fine of up to $5,000, according to the Florida Senate's statutory text. The law draws a sharper line for more severe conduct: under § 828.12(2), animal cruelty becomes a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine when an owner intentionally inflicts excessive or repeated unnecessary pain, torment, or cruel death, as detailed by FindLaw.
Queen Becomes Sophia, Makes Full Recovery
The dog once known as Queen was renamed Sophia after her surrender and has since made a full recovery, according to the state attorney's account relayed by the outlet's report. Sophia now lives a better life, the office said, following treatment at the county's Animal Services & Adoption division, which the Polk County Sheriff's Office directly manages out of Winter Haven to provide medical care and shelter for surrendered and impounded animals.
Part of a Wider Enforcement Push in Polk County
Owens' conviction lands amid a stretch of aggressive animal cruelty enforcement across Polk County. The Polk County Sheriff's Office launched a dedicated Animal Cruelty Investigation Unit in September 2024 specifically to respond to and investigate cases of neglect, abuse, and hoarding countywide, according to the Florida Sheriffs Association.
That unit's work has surfaced repeatedly in recent months. In June, deputies arrested an Auburndale woman on 15 counts of animal neglect and felony aggravated animal cruelty after a dog was found with duct tape wrapped around its muzzle, Hoodline previously reported. Days later, a Davenport resident faced 10 counts of animal cruelty after animal control officers rescued multiple emaciated dogs and puppies living in unsanitary conditions. Farther back, in September 2025, deputies arrested a Frostproof woman on felony animal cruelty charges after two deceased dogs were found on her property.
The state has also moved to tighten oversight of convicted abusers more broadly. Florida launched a statewide animal cruelty database in January 2026 under Dexter's Law, designed to list individuals convicted of animal abuse and block them from adopting or rehoming pets in the future. It remains unclear whether Owens will face additional post-release conditions, such as counseling requirements, fines, or inclusion in that new offender registry.
