The Santa Fe College Police Department arrested two more men on Thursday accused of being connected with the theft of 11 animals from Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo in May.
Santa Fe student Austin Bruno, 19, was charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of grand theft. Daniel Dipasquale, 18, was charged with attempting to deal in stolen merchandise.
Austin Bruno
According to a SFPD arrest report, Dipasquale had knowledge that people had plans to burglarize the zoo and steal the animals. He allegedly offered $3,000 to buy Mani, the squirrel monkey taken during the burglary on May 23.
Daniel Dipasquale
SFPD got a warrant Wednesday evening and was helped by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office in contacting people at Bruno’s residence, according to a Santa Fe College media release. Bruno turned himself into SFPD early Thursday morning.
SFPD Chief Ed Book said Bruno participated in stealing the animals and that he did not give any information about the remaining animals, which are two gopher tortoises and two box turtles, according to the media release. The gopher tortoises are in need of medical treatments, which they were given at the zoo.
SFPD is continuing their investigation and may find more people connected with the case, according to the release.
Dipasquale was put in the Alachua County Jail Thursday and will be seen by a judge Friday morning to be assigned bail. Bruno was put in the Alachua County Jail Thursday and a judge released him without bail that afternoon.
Anyone with information regarding the animals can call SFPD at 352-395-5519.
