MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A second arrest was made in connection with the theft of three French bulldogs from a home in southwest Miami-Dade, authorities confirmed. Elliot Joseph Gonzalez-Misdraji, 18, of Miami, was taken into custody last Friday and now faces multiple charges including burglary of an occupied dwelling, third-degree grand theft, and cruelty to animals.
The incident occurred on February 29, when Miami-Dade police responded to a report about three stolen dogs at a residence near Southwest 256th Street and 109th Avenue, in the county’s Princeton area. Surveillance footage later revealed that Gonzalez-Misdraji and his accomplice, Nelson Steven Rodriguez, 26, of Miami, were seen arriving at the victim’s home in a black Toyota Sienna.
The video footage captured Rodriguez grabbing the three French bulldogs – one adult dog and two puppies – and throwing them over the fence. Authorities reported that one of the dogs landed on a Miami-Dade Solid Waste Management bin, while another hit the ground hard and remained motionless from the impact.
Rodriguez, who was the victim’s neighbor, allegedly called the victim after the dogs were taken, claiming that two individuals had broken into his home. Upon returning, the victim discovered that his three dogs were missing. Following the investigation and the obtained surveillance footage, Rodriguez was arrested in March on charges of grand theft, animal cruelty, and trespassing.
Gonzalez-Misdraji’s arrest comes months after Rodriguez’s, and investigators are still seeking a third suspect in the case. Leslie Jane Diaz-Martinez, 25, remains at large. Authorities urge anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
It is unclear whether the stolen dogs have been returned to their rightful owner.
