A 37-year-old Ocala woman was arrested on theft charges after she allegedly sold a man’s collection of exotic tarantulas while he was in jail.
In late May, the male victim contacted the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and reported that his entire tarantula collection, which was valued at around $590, was missing, according to the arrest report.
The victim advised that he had been living with a woman, identified as Stephanie Lauren Brooks, prior to his incarceration at Marion County Jail. When the victim was released and allowed to return home, he reportedly discovered that his tarantulas were gone.
According to the victim’s statement, he later found out from family members that Brooks had allegedly sold the exotic spiders, which included a Green Bottle Blue tarantula, a Golden Knee Choco tarantula, a Brazilian Vera Cruz tarantula, and three Pink Toe tarantulas.
A juvenile witness reportedly told investigators that Brooks “got rid of the [tarantulas]” because she lacked the funds to take care of them, adding that Brooks also worried that the spiders could possibly hurt one of her younger siblings.
On Thursday, July 2, Brooks spoke with investigators and initially claimed there was “nothing wrong with the [tarantulas]” before stating that she sold them because “they were dying.” Brooks allegedly further stated that she “was not going to feed [the tarantulas]” and did not know when the victim would be released from jail, according to the report.
While Brooks claimed that two dogs and a few birds that were also missing from the residence were “shared property” with the victim, she allegedly admitted that the tarantulas belonged solely to the victim.
Brooks was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where she remains in custody. Her bond has been set at $1,500, and she is facing the following charges: dealing in stolen property and second-degree petit theft.
On Tuesday, August 4, Brooks is scheduled to appear in a Marion County courtroom at 9 a.m., according to jail records.