Fourteen men – residents of Georgia, Florida and Alabama – were charged for participating in a major dog fighting event that occurred in April 2022 in Donalsonville, Georgia, according to officials.
The U.S. District Court of Georgia unsealed the indictment with this week’s arrests.
The U.S. Department of Justice named the defendants involved:
- Tamichael Elijah, 47, of Donalsonville, Georgia
- Marvin Pulley III, 52, of Donalsonville and Jakin, Georgia
- Brandon Baker, 41, of Panama City, Florida
- Christopher Travis Beaumont, 37, of Panama City, Florida
- Herman Buggs Jr., 56, of Donalsonville, Georgia
- Terrance Davis, 45, of Pansey, Alabama
- Timothy Freeman, 26, of Bainbridge, Georgia
- Terelle Ganzy, 34, of Panama City, Florida
- Gary Hopkins, 66, of Donalsonville, Georgia
- Cornelious Johnson, 39, of Panama City, Florida
- Rodrecus Kimble, 43, of Donalsonville, Georgia
- Donnametric Miller, 41, of Donalsonville, Georgia
- Willie Russell, 43, of Blakely, Georgia
- Fredricus White, 36, of Panama City, Florida.
According to court documents filed in this case, the defendants all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event.
The defendants and others brought 24 dogs to fight in a series of matches that weekend. Law enforcement personnel who disrupted the event found numerous dogs inside crates in cars on the property.
The participants used their cars to store dogs who had already fought and those whose turns had not yet come.
As alleged in the indictment, Elijah resided on the property and acted as the host, having taken money from Pulley for hosting the dog fights.
Pulley was the primary organizer. He and Russell acted as referees for matches before law enforcement arrived. Beaumont, Davis, and Miller were witnessed fighting dogs at the event.
Baker, Beaumont, Ganzy, Johnson, and White brought three dogs from Florida to fight. Buggs, Davis, Freeman, Hopkins, Pulley, and Kimble also brought dogs to the fight.
Under federal law, it is illegal not only to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce but also to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase, or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
Miller is also charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm subsequent to a prior felony conviction.
Authorities rescued 27 dogs from the April 2022 dog fighting event and another 51 in conjunction with the arrests that occurred this week.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of five years and a $250,000 fine per count of animal fighting charges. Miller also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a $250,000 fine on the firearm charge.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General, detectives with the Seminole County, and the Georgia Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section is prosecuting the case, with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.