Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Walhalla Woman on 98 Ill Treatment of Animal Warrants

Jacqueline Suzanne Price Sequoia

(UPDATE: Sequoia was given a combined $68,500 surety bond. Sequoia was released from jail on Wednesday afternoon after posting bond. The updated time that Sequoia was booked into jail was 12:40am Wednesday).

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Walhalla woman today who was being sought on 98 Ill Treatment of Animal arrest warrants.

44 year old Jacqueline Suzanne Price Sequoia, of Highlands Highway, was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center at around 6:20pm this evening.  Sequoia was taken into custody this afternoon during a traffic stop on Bountyland Road near Chetola Road, which is in the Bountyland Community, by a Deputy from the Pro-Active Criminal Enforcement (P.A.C.E.) team. 

40 of the 98 arrest warrants served are felony charges, while the remaining are misdemeanor charges.  All of the charges in the investigation will be tried in General Sessions Court.

Animal Control Officers from the Sheriff’s Office received a complaint on March 11th of this year in regards to a welfare check on animals at an address on Highlands Highway at West Broad Street in Walhalla.  The complaint centered upon a foul odor on the property, a reported dead animal on the property and animals being kept on a hard surface.

Animal Control Officers then obtained a search warrant for the property on Thursday, March 13th.  Upon execution of the search warrant on both the Highlands Highway and South Broad Street sides of the property, Animal Control Officers discovered numerous animals living in unsanitary conditions with little to no food or water, along with a foul odor.  A deceased sheep was also discovered on the property.

In all, approximately 99 animals were seized from the property during the search warrant.  All animals were transported to the Oconee County Animal Shelter and provided appropriate feed, water and housing.  Some of the animals did required medical attention by a Veterinarian. 

Based upon evidence obtained during the investigation, Animal Control Officers obtained the 98 arrest warrants against Sequoia.  Based upon the animals listed in the arrest warrants, 13 sheep, 27 rabbits, one cat, one sugar glider (small marsupial), three chinchilla (small rodent), six pigs, 3 geese, one black dog, two white dogs, one blue Doberman dog, four goats and 36 chickens were seized.  The only animal seized in which an arrest warrant was not obtained was a chocolate Labrador, as the dog was running at large.  The ongoing investigation has revealed that the chocolate Labrador likely does not belong to Sequoia.    

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.