Paducah man accused of not cremating pets; keeping decomposing animals in car

PADUCAH, Ky. (KFVS) - A Paducah man was arrested two days in a row in connection with an investigation into his pet cremation business.

On May 9, the McCracken County Sheriff Department received a report of an “extremely foul smell” that was coming from 24-year-old Jacob Jetton’s vehicle.

According to deputies, the caller stated that Jetton owned a pet cremation business and the caller was concerned that Jetton had dead pets in his vehicle that were being improperly disposed of.

Deputies went to the business on Lone Oak Road and immediately smelled what the caller described. According to the sheriff’s office, other area business owners told deputies their customers had also been complaining of the smell.

Deputies learned that customers of the pet cremation business were concerned that they had not received the remains of their pets, or had not received the actual remains of their pets.

Along with McCracken County Animal Control, deputies found eight dead animals in Jetton’s vehicle, all in various stages of decomposition. Deputies say several of the animals had been given to Jetton to be cremated.

It was also discovered that Jetton didn’t have a McCracken County business license.

Jetton was arrested on May 9 and taken to the McCracken County Regional Jail on first-degree disorderly conduct. He was additionally charged with not having a license for the business of collecting an animal carcass, local ordinance violations and failure to notify address change.

The investigation continued and on May 10, detectives and deputies got a search warrant at Jetton’s home and another location.

According to the sheriff’s office, it was determined that Jetton had not been cremating the pets he had been entrusted with.

Given the new evidence, Jetton was arrested again and taken to the McCracken County Regional Jail on two counts of theft by deception over $1,000 but less than $10,000.

This investigation is ongoing in collaboration with McCracken County Animal Control and the McCracken County Attorney’s Office.

Deputies say anyone with concerns about not receiving a service they paid Jetton for, or believe they did not receive what was contracted, should call the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office at 270-444-4719 to speak with a deputy.

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