There have been no animal cruelty charges or theft charges on either Christian Gonzales or Colten Jones however; it appears since 12/12/2023, Code Enforcement has been in possession of video footage from the Jones location where Gonzales dropped off the animals.  The video covers the dates from Aug 7- Aug 31, the day the animals were delivered and how they would have left the shop thereafter.  This evidence is extremely crucial to the case.

CALL TO ACTION
Below are the email addresses  to the city council, city manager, and city attorney, as well as the police chief and Lt. assigned to the case. At this point, they are claiming “not enough first hand evidence,” which is untrue because there is video footage in possession of code enforcement and documents indicating the animals were harmed at this location.

If you can politely ask for an investigation, even if you have done so before, please help us out.  If you are from a rescue or animal welfare organization and are comfortable using your title there, that may be helpful.

tnesser@apachejunctionaz.gov, bjohnson@apachejunctionaz.gov, pheck@apachejunctionaz.gov, dcross@apachejunctionaz.gov, Jstern@apachejunctionaz.gov, 
Assistantcitymanager@apachejunctionaz.gov, Citymanager@apachejunctionaz.gov, tparker@apachejunctionaz.gov, Mpooley@apachejunctionaz.gov

Sample letter but feel free to write your own or add to this one.

I am writing to request that you please investigate the case of Colten Jones (case numbers 231120011 and 231102125) to send the message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Apache Junction. Colten Jones inhumanely killed over 260 animals at the 1000 W Apache Trail location where he was running an unlicensed, unregistered business. Tucson Police have stated they are not actively investigating the case. There needs to be accountability for the animal cruelty, as well as fraud that has occurred.  

Thank you for your time and consideration of the matter,
Your name

Additional facts you can feel free to add:

-Colten obtained the animals under false pretense

-There was a case that was successfully prosecuted in Mojave County where a man froze off animals and received animal cruelty charges (man was Michael Patrick Turland and he was charged with 94 counts of animal cruelty, with dogs and rabbits among the animals he kept frozen)

-The animal cruelty occurred in Apache Junction

-Colten has admitted to Terri Flores and on social media to have taken the animals

-There is security footage which they are in possession of that can be reviewed