Nine suspects were arrested. Three were incarcerated Tuesday at the jail in Ocala on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit racketeering, baiting animals, animal cruelty and taking a black bear.

During a months-long Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigation into the baiting, trapping and mauling of bears in various parts of the state, including the Ocala National Forest, several people were identified and are being charged with crimes.

Three of them, Dustin Reddish, 25; his wife Haley Reddish, 25; and William Tyler Wood, 29, all of Lake Butler in Union County, were booked Tuesday at the Marion County Jail on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit racketeering, baiting animals, animal cruelty and taking a black bear.

Fifth Judicial Circuit Judge Edward Scott, of Marion County, also signed off on arrest warrants for Mark Christopher Lindsey, 26; Charles “Buddy” Luther Scarbrough III, 30; Hannah Weiner Scarbrough, 27; Christopher Elliot Haun, 42; William “Willie Bob” Edward Landrum, 39; and Troy Travis Starling, 45, on similar charges. As of Wednesday afternoon, at least some of them had been arrested in other counties.

According to FWC officials, some of the nine are related through marriage and others are friends; the nine reside in locations in Florida, Georgia and Virginia.

The investigation began in early January and continued up to September. FWC officials said members of the group would go out in forests with treats, such as doughnuts and sugary sweets, to entice bears along trails in Marion, Volusia, Baker and other counties. They would then use specially trained dogs, monitored through GPS, to track the bears.

The dogs often would send the bear, or bears, up into trees. The dogs would remain on the ground and wait for the bear to jump from or fall, at which point the dogs would attack. Many of the "gruesome" attacks were posted to social media sites, FWC officials said.

In one instance, FWC officials said, surveillance video captured Dustin Reddish, Charles Scarbrough and Mark Lindsey removing doughnuts and pastries from a dumpster inside a fenced area at a Krispy Kreme site in Duval County. The video shows them putting the items in Reddish’s truck, officials said.

Authorities said one attack posted to Facebook by Wood showed a large pack of dogs chasing bears up into trees and chasing some bears on the ground.

Another video showed a bear trying to hold on to a tree as a number of dogs barked at the animal from the base. The bear tried to escape by jumping, but fell to the ground. The dogs attacked the bear, which got loose but was pursued by the dogs, FWC officials said.

FWC officials said one Snapchat video showed Troy Starling and another person skinning a bear in the woods in Union County.

Late Wednesday, the FWC and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution issued a news release that discussed "investigation into the illegal baiting, taking and molestation of Florida black bears by the use of dogs for commercial purposes. FWC officers gathered evidence of numerous illegal acts in several Florida counties on both private and public lands. Prosecution of this case is being coordinated by the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution."

“Not only were these gruesome acts of violence repulsive and cruel, they were recorded and posted to social media for the amusement of the defendants. I doubt they are laughing any longer, now that they have been arrested for serious crimes,” Bondi stated in the release.

The Marion County Jail log indicates that bail for Dustin Reddish is set at total of $97,100 on eight charges. Haley Reddish is being held on seven counts, with total bail at $95,100. William Wood faces nine charges, with his bail set at $107.100.

To report suspected violations, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922), text or email Tip@MyFWC.com or visit MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.