A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., age 62, of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe, age 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland with promoting and furthering animal fighting venture, according to prosecutors.
According to an affidavit in support of the complaint, Moorefield, a Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications, for Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Flythe used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with individuals throughout the United States to discuss dogfighting.
According to authorities, some of the dogs who lost fights were electrocuted with jumper cables.
Moorefield used the name “Geehad Kennels,” and Flythe used the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their respective dogfighting operations.
For example, as detailed in the affidavit, Moorefield, Flythe, and their associates used the encrypted messaging application to discuss how to train dogs for illegal dogfighting, exchanged videos about dogfighting, and arranged and coordinated dogfights.
Moorefield and Flythe also discussed betting on dogfighting, discussed dogs that died as a result of dogfighting, and circulated media reports about dogfighters who had been caught by law enforcement.
As further alleged in the affidavit, Moorefield and others also discussed how to conceal their conduct from law enforcement.
On September 6, 2023, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Moorefield and Flythe’s residences in Maryland.
Following the execution of these warrants, twelve dogs were recovered and seized by the federal government, according to prosecutors.
Law enforcement also recovered veterinary steroids, training schedules, a carpet that appeared to be stained with blood, and a weighted dog vest with a patch reading “Geehad Kennels.”
In addition, law enforcement officers seized a device consisting of an electrical plug and jumper cables, which the affidavit alleges is consistent with devices used to execute dogs that lose dogfights.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
If convicted, the defendants each face up to five years in federal prison for possessing, training, or transporting animals for participation in an animal fighting venture.
Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.