PINELLAS – Michael Wenzel, arrested on felony animal cruelty charges in connection with the infamous "shark dragging" episode, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in Hillsborough County court this week as part of a plea deal that will have him serve 10 days in jail. The sentence will be served on weekends.
Wenzel will also get 11 months probation,pay a $2,500 fine and will have to serve 100 hours of community service, half of which will be required to be at an animal shelter. He will also have his fishing license suspended for five years. His jail sentence will begin March 8.
As part of the deal, Wenzel pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree misdemeanor animal cruelty. Wenzel was charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Animal Cruelty and one misdemeanor count of Illegal Method of Take in December of 2017, along with Robert "Bo" Benac.
A third man, Spencer Heintz, was charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Animal Cruelty. Charges against Heintz were later dropped as the viral video that led to the arrests could not clearly establish that he had taken part in the acts.
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