Arrests Made in Gopher Tortoise Torture Case

Two Florida teenagers are in a heap of trouble after a video depicting the torture and killing of a protected gopher tortoise went viral.

Danielle Susan Dionne, 15, and Jennifer Emoke Greene, 18, of Clay County were arrested Friday morning, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stated in a media release. The turtle was burned during the course of the recording.

“We take these issues very seriously,” said Col. Calvin Adams, director of the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement, in the media release. “We appreciated the help from the public and our partners in working to protect our valuable natural resources.”

Both girls face felony cruelty to animal charges, and taking, harassing, harming or killing a gopher tortoise charges, which is a second-degree misdemeanor.

A tipster let FWC know about the incident on July 15. Investigators followed up on the lead and say they believe Greene and Dionne are the girls depicted in the video.

Greene faces up to five years in prison on the animal cruelty charge. Dionne’s case is being handled in the juvenile system.

“Please continue to help us protect natural resources and people by reporting any violations to our Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922 or texting/emailing Tip@MyFWC.com,” FWC officials wrote on the agency’s Facebook page in regard to the case.