Exotic zoo owner to be arraigned Wednesday on animal cruelty charge

An exotic animal owner who had hundreds of his animals seized by police in August is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, officials said.

Javon Pherras Stacks, 36, was initially scheduled to appear in court Thursday, but a district judge dismissed the case because an assistant prosecutor was running late, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

"At 9 a.m. the court had the officer in charge call the assistant prosecutor on the case because he was not present in court," officials said in a statement. "At that time, the assistant prosecutor informed the officer that he was approximately 15 minutes away and the information was conveyed to the court. At 9:21 a.m. the case was called and dismissed by Judge David Parrott because the assistant prosecutor was not yet in court."

The prosecutor's office said Friday it has reissued charges of one count of abandoning or cruelty to animals-more than 25, a seven-year felony, and two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals.

Stacks had been charged in November.

Police said they conducted an Aug. 15 raid at Stacks' business in a Romulus strip mall on Ecorse east of Merriman. They seized hundreds of animals, including kangaroo and hedgehogs.

Investigators received a tip about the exotic animals being kept at the property, which is illegal in the city.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez