MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A second arrest was made last week, months after three French bulldogs were stolen from a home in southwest Miami-Dade, authorities confirmed.
According to an arrest report, Elliot Joseph Gonzalez-Misdraji, 18, of Miami, was taken into custody Friday.
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He faces charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling, third-degree grand theft and cruelty to animals.
According to his arrest report, Miami-Dade police responded to a report about three stolen dogs on Feb. 29 at a home near the intersection of Southwest 256th Street and 109th Avenue in the county’s Princeton area.
According to investigators, Gonzalez-Misdraji and another man, identified as Nelson Steven Rodriguez, 26, of Miami, were seen on surveillance video arriving at the victim’s home in a black Toyota Sienna.
Moments later, Rodriguez was seen on surveillance video grabbing the three French bulldogs -- one adult and two puppies -- and tossing the dogs over the fence, according to authorities.
One of the dogs forcibly landed on a Miami-Dade Solid Waste Management bin and another dog landed on the ground, remaining still due to the impact, police said.
According to an arrest report, Rodriguez is the victim’s neighbor and called him after the dogs were taken, claiming that he saw two people breaking into his home.
The victim, who was out running errands, returned home to find his three dogs missing, authorities said.
Police said surveillance video they obtained showed that Rodriguez was involved in the theft.
He was arrested in March on charges of grand theft, animal cruelty and trespassing.
A third suspect, identified by police as Leslie Jane Diaz-Martinez, 25, remains at large.
Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
It’s unclear whether the dogs have been returned to their owner.
