Jeffrey Cruz

Jeffrey Cruz, J.D. is a veteran of the U.S. Army, a graduate from the University of Maryland (College Park Campus, Heidelberg, Germany), and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He is the former Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Barry County, Michigan, and since 2002, an Assistant Prosecutor in Ingham County, Michigan. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at his alma mater, Cooley Law School, where he teaches Trial Skills.

As a prosecutor for the past 11 years, Jeff has handled thousands of criminal files but also tried a variety of cases, including dogfighting and animal cruelty. Jeff has successfully prosecuted dogfighters who received felony convictions and gained substantial restitution orders paid to animal control and jail time, up to and including prison. His experience extends from misdemeanor animal abuse and large scale hoarding cases to professional dogfighting rings, which are felonies. For the past three years, most crimes regarding dogfighting, animal neglect, and cruelty are screened and reviewed by Jeff.

He received the Ingham County Animal Control Humanitarian Justice Award for his work regarding animal cruelty in in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Jeff is a member of the Joint Dog Fighting Task force, which includes local, state, and federal law enforcement, and he lectures law enforcement and concerned citizens on animal abuse/neglect issues.

Jeff has also lectured on issues of animal abuse and neglect to the State Bar of Michigan’s Animal Division, Michigan Law Enforcement agencies and other agencies from across the Midwest, and the Michigan State University Veterinary School.

Jeff is currently finishing up a scholarly writing article based on animal cruelty and the nexus to human violence.