A Lakeland man is headed to prison after shooting a horse named Ms. Mo when he didn't get paid for work he demanded compensation for, according to Hillsborough County prosecutors. Joel Gutierrez pleaded guilty to four felonies connected to the horse's death and was sentenced to one year behind bars, followed by five years of probation.
The case stems from an incident in September 2024, when Gutierrez showed up at a home on North Turkey Creek Road and demanded payment for work, according to the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office, as reported by WFLA. When he didn't get the money he wanted, prosecutors said Gutierrez threatened to shoot a horse on the property unless he was paid, then followed through, shooting Ms. Mo.
The bullet fractured Ms. Mo's leg, leaving her with injuries so severe that she had to be euthanized, per the same account. Gutierrez ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty to animals with a weapon, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, grand theft of an animal, and breaking or injuring fences containing animals.
What the Guilty Plea Means for Gutierrez
Assistant State Attorney Lauren Pasqua successfully prosecuted the case, the station's report notes. Beyond the one-year prison term, Gutierrez will spend five years on probation once he's released, and he must pay restitution covering Ms. Mo's veterinary bills.
He also owes a $2,500 animal cruelty fine and an additional $15,000 representing Ms. Mo's value, the article notes. Gutierrez will be placed on the state's animal abuse registry and is required to complete a mental health evaluation and treatment, anger management classes, and community service.
In a statement, the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office said, “Our office will continue to stand up for animals like Ms. Mo and hold those who abuse them accountable.”
How Florida Law Treats the Shooting
One of the felony counts Gutierrez pleaded guilty to involves discharging a firearm from a vehicle. Under Florida law, knowingly and willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a person is classified as a felony of the second degree, according to the Florida Legislature's Online Sunshine statutes.
Gutierrez's case also lands amid a string of horse-cruelty incidents reported elsewhere in Florida and beyond this year. In August, a Florida woman was accused of stabbing a horse multiple times and whipping it at a ranch where a child was receiving therapy, according to CBS12. That same month, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office in Colorado asked for the public's help after a horse was allegedly shot with a pellet gun 36 times, with no neighbors reporting hearing anything and no security cameras capturing the incident or any suspects, 9NEWS reported.
A New Statewide Tool to Track Abusers
Gutierrez's placement on Florida's animal abuse registry comes as the state rolled out a new tracking system. A statewide animal-abuser database launched on January 1, 2026, according to a report from Tallahassee.com. The registry is meant to give the public and employers a way to check whether someone has a documented history of animal abuse in the state.
