A Rockdale County sheriff’s deputy accused of causing the deaths of three of his personal dogs last year was indicted Tuesday on animal cruelty charges, prosecutors said.
Eric Tolbert, who was part of the office’s K-9 unit, was charged by a grand jury with three counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals and two counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals, according to an indictment filed in Rockdale County Superior Court.
He is accused of failing to provide adequate “sanitary conditions and ventilation” in June 2022 for three dogs he owned, according to the indictment. The deputy allegedly did not provide sanitary conditions that same month for two other canines that survived.
Tolbert was removed from the K-9 unit in August and an animal cruelty investigation was launched, authorities said. The deputy’s K-9 was found to be in good condition, and the dog was reassigned to a new handler.
When asked for comment Tuesday, the sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to questions from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Tolbert’s job status. “The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office was never formally presented with the indictment,” a spokesperson said.
Authorities began an investigation July 5 following a social media post about Tolbert’s three dogs dying from heat exhaustion. A search warrant was executed at his property, which revealed unsanitary living conditions and improper disposal of the canines that violated state law, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators tried to arrest Tolbert and charge him with animal cruelty, but the sheriff’s office said judges refused to sign the warrant. The judges said there was lack of probable cause and a conflict of interest since the sheriff’s office was investigating the incident instead of the GBI, authorities said.
The District Attorney’s Office also declined to prosecute the case at the time, citing a lack of evidence, the sheriff’s office said. An internal administrative investigation found Tolbert violated two sheriff’s office policies: code of conduct to abide by all laws, and the canine handler conduct.
On Aug. 10, the deputy received a 32-hour suspension without pay and lost his spot on the K-9 unit, according to authorities.
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