The FBI defeated the largest dogfighting ring in the station's history, grabbing a 190 pit bull and the original NFL drove off.
The Department of Justice states that 54-year-old Lesson Eugene Johnson He was indicted It is said to run a dogfighting ring in a large-scale breeding and human trafficking business in Broken Arrow and Haskell, Oklahoma.
“Animal abuse is cruel and devastated, and deserves severe punishment.”
The 54-year-old running back was drafted to play for the Green Bay Packers in 1994 and continued to play for the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants.
Johnson's suspect was called “Mal Cant Kennels” and included breeding a dogfight champion. The DOJ said Johnson was financially profiting from the business and also helped to grow the dogfighting industry.
Court filing show Investigators were able to recover evidence from Johnson's phone, including his Facebook page, emails discussing dog pedigrees, and a history of cash apps.
If convicted, Johnson faces five years' prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Animal abuse is cruel, it's been dropped and deserves severe punishment,” Attorney General Pamela Bondy said. “The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting this case to the fullest extent of the law and protecting innocent animals from harming people.”
Johnson pleaded guilty in 2004 to a similar charge to an operation called the “Crowderside Dog House.”
“The FBI sees animal cruelty investigations as a precursor to a larger organized criminal effort, as well as human trafficking and murder,” said Kash Patel, director of the FBI. “This is yet another push for the FBI crackdown on our most innocent criminal violent offenders.”
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