OCEAN PARK — Dead animals, alleged threats to kill neighbors and a stolen dog have landed an Ocean Park woman in Pacific County Jail facing several felony charges. Neighbors reported rowdy behavior by the woman over a six-day stretch late last month.

The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incidents. It started Nov. 22 after an individual reported a neighbor making “threatening comments.”

Pull Quote

‘The safety of our community is our top priority, and we are committed to working for you, the citizens of Pacific County, to ensure that all residents feel safe and protected.’

Hollie Billeci, PCSO chief civil deputy

An occupant inside the reporting party’s residence alleged finding rotten chicken strewn over her vehicle one morning as she left for work. The following day, she noted that someone had dropped dead rats all over the property — an incident that was caught on camera.

Known subject

The culprit in the video has been identified as Sarah M. Marcus, 38, of Ocean Park. She was involved in a high-stakes case in August 2023 after losing her children to protective services and subsequently breaking into a neighbor’s home attempting to kidnap a child.

That incident culminated in a standoff with armed officers that ultimately ended peacefully after she gave up and was arrested. Complexities in Pacific County Superior Court revolved around competency concerns.

The case ended with a March 1 plea agreement in which she pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted kidnapping and was sentenced to 12 months in custody with credit for time served.

Current case

The situation between Marcus and her neighbors has been an issue throughout the year, resulting in them seeking a protective order on May 28 due to concerns about her mental health that might lead to another serious incident.

The order was temporarily granted but dismissed on May 31 because the petitioners failed to appear for a hearing to extend the order.

According to court records, the situation deteriorated again Aug. 7 when Marcus allegedly stole a dog from the neighbors. A witness reported that she was observed in possession of the dog as recently as Oct. 14.

“[A witness] stated he found out about the dog being at Sarah’s on [Nov. 26] from [another witness] and went to talk to Sarah to try and get his dog back, and Sarah said no, she did not deny having the dog, instead refusing to return it,” Deputy Dustyn Akker states in court records.

Other witnesses allege that Marcus was making ongoing threats, which were documented in text messages between the victims and Marcus, including one that states, “There’s a good chance I’ll arrest you myself. But I might actually just kill you. It’s very tempting at this point! You have no idea who you have been f***ing with!”

Another text reportedly states, “I’m authorized to murder if I feel it’s necessary.” Marcus also lodged a threat in person to one of the witnesses, allegedly stating, “I have an arrow with your name on it.”

Barricaded suspect

According to court records, Akker and Deputy Cosmo Cozby went to Marcus’s residence on Nov. 27 to speak with her about the allegations. She refused to leave the home and instead stated, “Leave a note,” and “You have to contact my caretaker.”

“We could hear a dog barking in the residence after we knocked,” Akker states.

Deputies subsequently applied for and were granted a search warrant to arrest Marcus.

“The search warrant was executed, and the suspect was taken into custody without incident,” PCSO Chief Civil Deputy Hollie Billeci said. “The suspect was arrested on charges of felony harassment, malicious mischief, and theft.”

Marcus reportedly received mental health services before being booked into the jail. Her children were taken into protective custody.

“We are grateful for the successful outcome of this incident,” Billeci said. “The safety of our community is our top priority, and we are committed to working for you, the citizens of Pacific County, to ensure that all residents feel safe and protected.”