ACTION 8 UPDATE: Bond set for three people charged with animal cruelty in Lee County

ACTION 8 UPDATE: Bond has been set for three people charged with animal cruelty, which investigators say happened at a house in the Beauregard community of Lee County.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says 63-year-old Curtis Dewayne Haralson, 54-year-old Patricia Ann Sims and 27-year-old Tiffany Ann Sims are being held with bond set at $48,700 each. The sheriff’s office says additional charges may be added as the investigation continues.

As Action 8 News has reported, on January 12, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office says it got a tip from a concerned citizen and went to a home in the 8100 block of Lee County Road 146 to investigate.

They say they found about 29 dead dogs in plastic bags that were thrown in a pile in the backyard. Investigators say the dogs ranged from puppies to adults.

They say they also discovered about 24 other dogs inside the home that were alive but appeared to be emaciated. Lee County Animal Control took possession of those dogs.

The sheriff’s office says all three suspects lived at the home.

The sheriff’s Office says it responded to three previous complaints at the home in 2017, 2019 and 2021. Responding deputies did not find elements to support criminal charges at those times, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office says what it discovered on January 12 was among the worst treatment of animals that the office has ever seen.

If you have information about the case, call CrimeStoppers at (334) 215-STOP.