Jacob Jetton
McCracken County Jail
McCRACKEN COUNTY, KY — The owner of a local pet cremation service who was arrested earlier this month after investigators said decomposing animals were found in his vehicle is facing new theft and fraud charges, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office said.
Jacob Jetton was arrested on May 9 and again on May 10 on charges that he charged people to cremate pets but did not actually cremate the animals’ remains. In announcing the first arrests on May 11, the sheriff’s office said the remains of eight animals were found in his vehicle, including multiple animals that had been given to him for cremation. Clients of his business, Paws to Remember, also told deputies they were worried they hadn’t received their pets’ cremated remains, and others said they were worried the supposed remains they received weren’t actually their pets’ remains.
Jetton was also charged with operating without a county business license or proper animal waste collection permit, as well as other violations. On May 10, he was charged with two counts of theft by deception of more than $1,000 but less than $10,000.
Previous Coverage
‘It’s like going through the grieving process all over again’ — New details emerge in local pet cremation scam case
Owner of local pet cremation service arrested after decomposing animals found in vehicle, accused of failing to cremate pets
On Thursday, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office announced additional charges against Jetton, who is now accused of fraudulently charging additional, unauthorized fees to previous customers’ credit or debit cards. The sheriff’s office says those unauthorized charges totaled more than $1,000.
He was also charged with theft in connection with another business he ran, which the sheriff’s office also describes as an illegitimate business. The business at the center of that accusation is Jetton Music. Investigators say Jetton sold the guitar to a customer for $1,400 that was later determined to be an off-brand instrument valued at just $300.
Jetton is now charged with theft by fraud over $1,000 and fraudulent use of a credit card over $1,000. Both were charged with a crime.
Previous charges he faces include theft by deception, disorderly conduct in the first degree, operating without a license to collect animal carcasses, failure to notify the department of transportation of a change of address and multiple local city ordinances. A trial on those charges is scheduled for May 30, according to the Kentucky court records website. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June 6 on the charge of theft by fraud.