R&B Singer Arrested for Animal Cruelty After Allegedly Starving Dogs

R&B singer Jaheim has been arrested after police found more than 12 dogs living in less than satisfactory conditions at his New Jersey home on Thursday, Sept. 9. The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office says the artist, Jaheim Hoagland, is facing charges of third-degree animal cruelty and failure to provide necessary care to an animal. Hillsborough Township Police Department officers appeared at Hoagland's home in response to reports of a puppy in distress on Monday. Upon arrival, police say they saw six dogs in separate animal crates in the driveway of the home. 

Officials say the crates were "partially filled with several inches of water and dog feces," and one of the dogs was unresponsive at the time. Inside the home, police found nine more dogs being held in devastating conditions. The other animals were in "varying stages of emaciation, without access to food and water," according to prosecutors. Hoagland had already been arrested on an unrelated issue. Police discovered 12 mixed-breed pit bull terriers, two American Staffordshire terriers and one mixed-breed boxer in total at the artist's home. The dog found unresponsive in his crate was later euthanized while two other dogs were sent to a veterinarian clinic due to their poor health conditions. All 14 dogs have since been taken to a kennel, where they remain as the investigation continues. 

Hoagland was booked into Somerset County Jail and currently is awaiting a court hearing. As for if he's retained an attorney, that remains unknown. Anyone with information that could assist investigators during this time is asked to reach out to the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Chief Humane Officer at (908) 575-3353 or the Hillsborough Township Police Department at (908) 369-4323 or via the STOPit app.

Hoagland gained fame in 2001, breaking into the music industry with his debut album Ghetto Love. In 2002, he followed the successful premiere with another hit studio LP, Still Ghetto, which included some of his prominent tunes "Fabulous" and "Put That Woman First."