Dimebox Woman Faces charges in Livestock Cruelty Case

A 61 year old woman is in the Lee County Jail after being apprehended in a major animal cruelty case. The Lee County Sheriff's Office executed a large scale animal recovery operation at 1301 County Road 439 in Dime Box. This action followed a tip received regarding the suspected neglect of both Livestock and non-livestock animals on the property. As a result of the operation, 53 horses and 2 dogs were rescued. The suspect, Identified as Julie Winette Rawls of Dime Box was arrested for Cruelty to Livestock Animals under Texas Penal Code 42.09, a Class A Misdemeanor with additional charges pending as the investigation continues.
Rawls, who is also known by some as "CJ" reportedly has 26 acres. The general rule of thumb is each horse needs 2 acres for appropriate grazing and nutrition. A neighbor who was aware of the rescue operation reported seeing at least two deceased horses, though the Sheriff's Office declined to verify this pending the ongoing investigation. The rescued horses are taken to horse sanctuaries and the two dogs are now under the care of Giddings Animal Control.