Jake Cameron Matthew, 34, faces a new felony allegation of possessing or using an animal for fighting or baiting, the St. Johns Citizen reported September 29, citing a new arrest report.

Investigators allege a 36 second Instagram video, recorded July 30, shows two dogs attacking a restrained boar. The report says they identified Matthew through a forearm tattoo. Buddylio has not independently reviewed the video or arrest report.

How the new allegation fits the timeline

The alleged recording predates the September investigation steps. Dogs were seized September 2; Matthew was arrested September 17. The newly reported charge should not be mistaken for an incident filmed this week.

An earlier Citizen report said deputies found a dead dog, identified as Daisy, behind the Elkton property on August 26. It attributed findings that she had been shot to a University of Florida veterinary examination. That earlier account and the latest report come from the same newsroom.

What Florida’s animal fighting law covers

Florida’s Animal Fighting Act prohibits knowingly possessing or using animals for fighting or baiting. The statute expressly says possession alone is not a violation and includes exceptions for regulated hunting, customary hog hunting and normal animal husbandry. Whether conduct falls within the charged offense is a question for the case, not something the existence of a video settles by itself.

A charge is an allegation, not a conviction. No final court outcome is established in the reports reviewed.

Sources

On the sourcing: Both case reports come from the St. Johns Citizen; the statute is background, not corroboration.

How we reported this: Case details are attributed to the St. Johns Citizen’s reporting of investigative records. Buddylio checked the statute separately; it does not independently confirm the allegations.