‘Deplorable’: Fulton County man found guilty of 24 counts of animal cruelty

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A man has been found guilty of abusing multiple dogs, the Office of the Fulton County Solicitor General announced on Thursday.

A Fulton County jury found Clarence E. Jones guilty of 24 counts of animal cruelty and one count of violating animal permit rules. He was sentenced to two years in prison and 22 years on probation.

For the full 24-year sentence, Jones can’t own or take care of any animals. He also has to pay a $1,000 fine and take a course on animal cruelty.

According to the solicitor general’s office, Jones was caught on camera abusing animals several times. On March 25, 2025, he was recorded punching a dog in his driveway and slamming it on the concrete. The dog went limp and hasn’t been found.

Less than two months later, a neighbor’s doorbell camera showed him dragging a young Cane Corso by a leash attached to a tight collar. He smashed the dog into the asphalt, and it appeared to collapse from strangulation multiple times.

The videos led to a search of Jones’ home, revealing 23 dogs being kept in “deplorable conditions,” the solicitor general’s office said. Several dogs were found stacked in small crates, including 17 French bulldogs. The crates were covered in feces and urine, as were food and water bowls — although most dogs had no water to drink.

Outside, investigators said they also found four Cane Corsos confined to small kennels within crumbling dog houses.

All the dogs were in bad health when they were found.

“Those who are cruel to animals are a danger to human beings as well,” Solicitor General Keith Gammage said.