Judge orders breeder to surrender entire herd after horses found starving

Judge orders breeder to surrender entire herd after horses found starving

Hannah Phillips, Palm Beach Post

Tue, January 20, 2026 at 10:02 AM UTC

3 min read

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A judge has ordered James Marinakis to surrender his entire herd of horses and banned him from owning animals for five years, citing "shocking" evidence of starvation and neglect on his 20-acre property in suburban Boca Raton.

The ruling followed a two-day hearing in which Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control employees described lame and emaciated horses, cracked hooves, matted manes, rotten skin and a 2.4-pound infected mass crawling with "thousands if not tens of thousands" of maggots.

Marinakis said the horses had simply endured Florida's wet season.

Rain affects horses, said his attorney Craig Rubinstein. It depletes nutrients in grass, creates mud, produces conditions where even well-fed animals might lose weight. The inherent difficulties of managing a large herd had created conditions beyond Marinakis' control.

"And," he added, "the animals can't speak, so the pain is conjecture and speculation. It's not a fact."

Shullman sided with the county, as judges have done three times before over the previous two decades.

"If this isn't neglect, I don't know what is," she said.

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Judge Sarah Shullman sits at her bench at the Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on January 9, 2026. She is presiding over the case against James Marinakis, who was arrested last year on eight counts of animal cruelty and neglect for the living conditions of horses on his 20-acre property west of Boca Raton.

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Sgt. Alec Arguelles, who carried out the search warrant, painted a grim picture of life on Marinakis' property.

Horses were found standing in deep mud mixed with feces, some sinking up to their knees in the muck. Water buckets were filmed with algae. There was no adequate shelter from the sun or rain.

Multiple horses suffered from severe "rain rot" — a painful bacterial skin infection that develops when animals are left in wet conditions. The infection was so crusted and embedded in their skin that it took multiple treatments to remove.

All the horses had matted, tangled manes and tails, overgrown hooves and sharp dental points that made it difficult and painful for them to eat.

All eight seized horses were underweight. None showed signs of disease. Their bloodwork was normal. When given proper food and care at the county facility, all improved rapidly.

James Marinakis, right, sits in Judge Sarah Shullman's courtroom at the Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on January 9, 2026. Marinakis was arrested last year on eight counts of animal cruelty and neglect for the living conditions of horses on his 20-acre property west of Boca Raton.

The Appaloosa stallion with the maggot-infested wound gained nearly 100 pounds in two weeks. His wound, surgically cleaned and treated, healed to less than a centimeter.

Marinakis did not testify during the two-day hearing. Rubinstein argued that the county witnesses' testimony was too subjective, that seasonal rain could temporarily affect weight and that animals sometimes get either sick or injured.

Shullman noted that once the county established neglect, the burden shifted to Marinakis to prove he was fit to keep animals.

"I did not have any testimony, any witnesses, any evidence whatsoever from the defendant to meet his burden," she said. "I simply don't have it, and it was his burden."

She added: "This is not an isolated incident. This is an instance that continues to occur again and again over the years. Given the history, which shows this is a recurring issue, this shows conscious awareness and disregard."

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A collection of photos taken by authorities of animals in James Marinakis' possession between 2001 and 2025

Eight abused horses on Marinakis property available for adoption

Marinakis, 75, has faced more than two dozen felony and misdemeanor charges related to animal cruelty over the past two decades. Animal Care and Control has removed dogs, parrots and horses from his property several times since 1999 after finding animals malnourished, injured and kept in squalid conditions.

Shullman's order requires Marinakis either to sell or give away every horse on his property within 90 days. Any remaining will be seized. He cannot own, possess or live with any animals for five years. Animal control may conduct unannounced visits throughout that period. He must pay $34,300 to reimburse the county for caring for the eight horses.

After five years, Marinakis may petition to modify the ban. In the meantime, the eight horses will be available for adoption through Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.

Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca-area man banned from owning animals after 'shocking' neglect

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