Prosecutor: Dog training business bilks customers for $200K, abuses animals
Mar. 27—A local dog training business reportedly bilked dozens of customers out of more than $200,000 and abused the animals they were paid to care for, Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. announced Wednesday.
A county grand jury on Wednesday indicted four co-defendants: Jason Thomas Jones, 44, of Huber Heights, Jennifer Lynn Long, 39, of Huber Heights, Tabatha Lee Taverna, 47, of Dayton, and Dayton Dog Trainer LLC their alleged involvement in a scheme that defrauded customers by failing to provide dog training services and for acts of animal cruelty.
Jones owned and operated Dayton Dog Trainer, which claimed to provide obedience training for dogs and training for support animals.
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A lengthy investigation by the Miamisburg Police Department found more than 65 customers collectively charged more than $200,000 by the defendants to train the animals and provide follow-up training, according to the prosecutor's office.
"Instead, the animals were returned to the owners untrained and often covered in feces with obvious signs of neglect and maltreatment," Heck said.
All four defendants were indicted for one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Jones and Dayton Dog Trainer also were each indicted for 94 counts of theft — 11 from an elderly or disabled person — and 23 counts of cruelty to companion animals, plus Jones also was charged with two counts of failure to file state income taxes.
Taverna also was indicted for three counts of theft, one count of theft from an elderly or disabled person and two counts of cruelty to companion animals, and Long also was indicted for four counts of theft and one count of cruelty to companion animals.
The criminal activity reportedly took place between Jan. 1, 2020, and March 22, 2024, according to the indictment.
Sgt. Jeff Muncy of the Miamisburg Police Department said Jones, Long and Taverna were arrested Wednesday following their indictments. They are held in the Montgomery County Jail awaiting Tuesday arraignments in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone who believes they may have been victimized is urged to call Muncy at 937-847-6612.
