JONES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
A recent drug investigation at a Jones County residence expanded into the discovery of dog fighting and resulted in multiple felony charges for the alleged offender.
Dan Thomas Cleveland, 44, was arrested May 19 and charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and prohibited dog fighting and related conduct.
In a May 23 interview, Jones County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Barron Hall said the investigation of Cleveland’s drug activity by the Jones County Drug Unit and Criminal Investigations Division began around the first of the month pursuant to an ongoing investigation.
Hall said he received information that Cleveland was selling narcotics, and he followed up the information with a search warrant of the home off Joycliff Terrace.
“We executed the warrant and found several large, vacuum- sealed bags of marijuana,” he said.
The investigator said Cleveland was known to be a convicted felon and several firearms were also found in the home. He said one of those guns had been reported stolen in a 2020 Jones County entering autos case.
The amount of marijuana found was estimated at seven pounds, and the number of firearms found in the home was five.
Hall said, while they were searching the house, indicators were found of dogfighting.
He said they found mounds of veterinary medications, supplements, weighted vests and saline bags. Treadmills and training sticks were found in a shed in the back.
He said dogs were found in the backyard, held by weighted chains.
The investigators said the dogs had tattoos and old scars. He said there were seven adult dogs and two litters of puppies.
Jones County Animal Services assisted with picking up the dogs, and investigators spent most of the day at the residence collecting evidence.
Hall said when asked about dogfighting, Cleveland denied it. “He told us the dogs were his therapy for depression,” the investigator said.
