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Name:
Tracy, Roni Michele
Date of Booking:
04/22/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS – MISD
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On April 23, 2026 I received a complaint in reference to a dog that had been kept inside of a garage. Ms. [WITNESS #1] the complainant, stated that she had been in the home to help her niece Ms. Tracy pack her belongings. She stated that she noticed that the dog had been in the garage with out water and when the dog went inside of the home she was very hungry. Ms. [WITNESS #1] believed that the dog was not taken care of and requested a welfare check on the dog.
When I arrived at the residence I was able to see inside of the garage from two window panels that were broken on the garage door. An overwhelming odor of feces was present as I walked up to the garage. The garage was cluttered with crates of random items, tables, tools, and other miscellaneous items. The floor of the garage in several places was covered in feces. There was new and old feces. In the back right corner of the garage there was a bowl of water that appeared to be on top of feces.
I could hear the dog whining in the far back right of the garage. She got up on the work out bench and I could barely see her through all of the stacked items in the garage. I called for her and she came to the front of the garage. She jumped on the garage door begging for attention and I was able to get a good look at her. Her nails were overgrown and she smelled like feces.
When petting the dog I could feel how hot the garage was. I tested the temperature of the inside of the garage with my infrared thermometer. The back right corner of the garage, where the dog had been the majority of the time, was 88 degrees fahrenheit. The side of the home was 96 degrees, and the hot concrete in front of the home was 109 degrees. The only ventilation in the garage that the dog had was the two small broken windows that were on the garage door.
After several knocks on the front door Ms. Tracy came to the door. I told her we had received a complaint about her dog being in the garage. She stated that she was feeding the dog and taking care of it the best she could. When I asked her if she wanted to surrender the dog she told me that she wanted to. I recorded her statement of wanting to surrender the dog and understanding that she has no rights to the dog after she surrenders her. She stated that she understood. She got the dog out of the garage and helped me load her up into the kennel in the back of my truck.
I obtained some details about the dog from Ms. Tracy. I explained to her that it was extremely hot outside and that the dog should not have been living in the conditions it had been inside of the garage. She told me that she had no where else to put the dog. She said she got into everything inside, and that her fence was not adequate to keep the dog contained in the back yard. We then spoke about things she had more control of such as the feces all over the garage. I told her that she could be taking the dog out on a leash instead of her using the garage to use the bathroom.
I explained that there was no ventilation for the dog inside of the garage. She had no way to get inside or outside to fresh air. The inside of the garage was in an awful condition for the dog. She stated that she understood. I told her I was charging her with animal cruelty because of the conditions that the dog was living in.
A transport unit arrived at the residence and booked Ms. Tracy into the Effingham County Jail. The dog was taken to the Effingham County Animal Shelter and is currently being evaluated.
[End of Narrative]
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
4/22/26
RONI MICHELE TRACY ARRESTED AND BOOKED IN EFFINGHAM COUNTY
What this means: Roni Michele Tracy was taken into custody in Effingham County on this date. The booking is connected to a charge of cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor offense under Georgia law. This is the beginning of the formal legal process against Tracy.
4/30/26
CRIMINAL BOND SET FOR RONI MICHELE TRACY
What this means: A criminal bond was issued through the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office in the amount of $3,500.00, with Rahnis Bonding listed as the surety — meaning a bonding company co-signed the bond. By posting this bond, Roni Michele Tracy was released from custody under the condition that she appear in Effingham County State Court as required and not leave the county without permission. The bond was signed and sealed on April 30, 2026.
5/5/26
ACCUSATION FILED — 1 COUNT OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS CHARGED AGAINST RONI MICHELE TRACY
What this means: On May 5, 2026, the Effingham County Solicitor General’s Office formally filed a criminal accusation — case number STCR2026000477 — against Roni Michele Tracy in the State Court of Effingham County. An accusation is a formal charging document used in misdemeanor cases, similar to an indictment but filed by the Solicitor General rather than a grand jury.
Count 1 charges Roni Michele Tracy with Cruelty to Animals under O.C.G.A. 16-12-4(b). Tracy is accused of having intentionally exercised custody of an animal on or about April 23, 2026, and allegedly failing to provide that animal with adequate sanitary conditions and ventilation that a reasonable person would believe is normal for an animal of that species, breed, age, and physical condition. The accusation was filed based on an affidavit from Deputy Christina Driggers of the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office. Solicitor General Spencer Tyson signed the filing.
6/11/26
ARRAIGNMENT HEARING SCHEDULED
What this means: Roni Michele Tracy is set to appear before the Effingham County State Court on June 11, 2026, at 9:00 AM for a criminal arraignment calendar. Arraignment is the hearing where a defendant is formally informed of the charges against them and enters a plea — typically guilty, not guilty, or no contest. This is a standard early step in the court process.
6/11/26
RONI MICHELE TRACY ARRAIGNED — PLEADS NOT GUILTY
What this means: On June 11, 2026, Roni Michele Tracy appeared before the Effingham County State Court for arraignment on case number STCR2026000477. Tracy was formally informed of the charge against her — cruelty to animals — and entered a plea of not guilty. Solicitor General Spencer Tyson presided over the arraignment on behalf of the State of Georgia. The not guilty plea means the case will continue moving forward in the court process. The arraignment form was filed for record by Clerk Walt Lawson.
7/15/26
DEFENSE ATTORNEY ENTERS APPEARANCE FOR RONI MICHELE TRACY
What this means: On July 15, 2026, attorney Amanda M. Oliveira of AMO Law Firm, LLC formally entered her appearance as counsel of record for Roni Michele Tracy in Effingham County State Court. This filing notifies the court and all parties that Oliveira is now representing Tracy in case number STCR2026000477. Oliveira is based in Springfield, Georgia, and is a member of the State Bar of Georgia. The Clerk of the Effingham County State Court was asked to add her to the mailing list for all future correspondence in this matter.
7/30/26
CASE TRANSFERRED TO DEAD DOCKET BY COURT ORDER — RONI MICHELE TRACY
What this means: On July 30, 2026, Solicitor General Spencer Tyson filed a Motion to Transfer to Dead Docket in the State Court of Effingham County, and Judge Melissa M. Calhoun signed the order granting it the same day. The case — docket number ST26CR477C — has been removed from the active court calendar and placed on what is called the “dead docket.”
A dead docket is not a dismissal. It means the State is choosing not to actively prosecute the case at this time, but the case remains on record and can be reactivated in the future. The Solicitor General cited two reasons: the situation that gave rise to the charges has been addressed, and Roni Michele Tracy needs time to attend to medical issues. As a special condition, Tracy is not permitted to own or have pets during this period.
The dead docket period runs for one year from April 23, 2026. The case has been stricken from the list of present pending criminal cases in Effingham County State Court, though the transfer is noted on Tracy’s permanent criminal record.
8/13/26
PLEA DAY CALENDAR SCHEDULED
What this means: Roni Michele Tracy has a criminal plea day calendar set for August 13, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Effingham County State Court. Plea day is a scheduled court session where defendants may enter a formal plea in their case. Whether Tracy will enter a plea on this date has not yet been determined.