Justin Elazer King, 31, was charged under the South Carolina Code of Laws after investigators say two pit‑bull‑type dogs were left chained outside without shelter during freezing weather.

SLED’s charging documents allege the animals were tethered constantly and exposed to the elements. Authorities say surveillance video and electronic monitoring data placed King at the small outdoor area at his Chester County residence on or about Dec. 3, and that the footage shows both dogs secured to fixed points with chains for extended periods.

The complaint filed by SLED lists two counts tied to the incidents. King was booked into the Chester County Detention Center and processed on a $10,000 bond; booking records show he has since been released. Prosecutors have not yet filed additional public comment beyond the charging documents, which form the basis of the case.

According to the affidavit included in the charging material, investigators observed the animals remaining tethered with no apparent access to adequate shelter during cold temperatures. The documents say the dogs were held at King’s home and were left chained outside without weatherproof shelter, a condition SLED alleges amounted to depriving the animals of necessary protection from the elements.

South Carolina’s statewide cruelty statute makes it illegal to deprive an animal of necessary food, water, or shelter, and counties are authorized to adopt stricter ordinances governing pet care and control. Many counties in the state require that outdoor dogs have access to adequate, weatherproof shelter; the charging documents reference the lack of such shelter as an element of the alleged violations.

The case highlights the evidence tools investigators rely on in animal cruelty complaints. SLED’s filing cites surveillance video and electronic data as corroboration that King was present at the scene and that the dogs were tethered for prolonged periods. Officials described the video and records in the complaint but did not release the materials publicly at the time of filing.

Local reporting has traced the procedural steps taken by law enforcement. WSOC TV summarized court and booking records related to the matter, noting the dates tied to the alleged mistreatment and the subsequent filing of charges on Dec. 12. The alleged mistreatment is dated on or about Dec. 3 in the charging papers.

Nationally, experts and advocacy groups say authoritative data on abandonment and neglect are limited because many cases go unreported. The Humane Society has said that the number of cruelty cases seen by investigators likely represents only the “tip of the iceberg,” and shelter-based data provide one partial window into the scale of neglect and abandonment across the country.

Reporting standards for animal cruelty incidents also vary widely from state to state. Participation in the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System is voluntary, and states differ in how they collect and centralize animal-cruelty data, complicating nationwide comparisons and the creation of a single statistical picture.

For now, the two animals remain central to the criminal allegations against King, and the case will move through standard court procedures established for criminal matters. SLED has filed the charges and local authorities processed King at the county detention center; subsequent hearings and any prosecutorial decisions will be recorded in court filings.

Source

Original reporting: WSOC TV, court and booking records.