OSTEEN, Fla. — Florida authorities have arrested a man in connection with the theft of four horses from a property in Osteen last week.
Lazaro Guzman, 26, is facing charges of grand theft and dealing in stolen property. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident on Saturday, December 13, after receiving a report that four horses had been taken.
The stolen horses were identified as Slater, 8; R Chism, 13; Snoop, 19; and Gratian Hanover, 13. Authorities have since recovered two of the horses.
Investigators tracked Guzman to Hialeah, Florida, and arrested him. Officials report that he is from Cuba and currently in the United States illegally. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer on Guzman in addition to the criminal charges.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood confirmed that law enforcement agencies, including the Florida Department of Agriculture, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), are actively pursuing leads to recover the remaining two horses.
Sheriff Chitwood stated: “We know who the second suspect is, and we are optimistic that no harm has come to the remaining horses.”
A $10,000 reward was previously offered for information leading to an arrest. The investigation is ongoing.
