BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Carlton Lenard Adams, of Bessemer and Adger, Alabama, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to dog fighting and firearms charges, federal authorities announced Friday.
Adams pleaded guilty in January to four counts of possessing dogs for fighting purposes and two counts of possessing firearms after a felony conviction.
In addition to the 10-year prison sentence, a federal court last month ordered Adams to pay $548,449 in restitution to cover the costs of caring for 78 rescued pit bull-type dogs seized during the investigation.
According to federal authorities, the 78 dogs rescued from Adams’ operation represented the second-largest number of dogs rescued from a single defendant in any federal dog-fighting case at the time of the seizure.
The restitution is intended to reimburse organizations and agencies that provided veterinary treatment, shelter and long-term care for the rescued animals.
FACT CHECK:
- Defendant: Carlton Lenard Adams
- ✅ Residence: Bessemer and Adger, Alabama
- ✅ Sentence: 120 months (10 years) in federal prison
- ✅ Guilty plea entered: January
- ✅ Convictions:
- Four counts of possessing dogs for fighting purposes
- Two counts of possessing firearms after a felony conviction
- ✅ Restitution ordered: $548,449
- ✅ Dogs rescued: 78 pit bull-type dogs
- ✅ Federal authorities said the rescue was the second-largest from a single defendant in a federal case at the time.
According to court documents, Carlton Lenard Adams kept 78 dogs bred for fighting at three properties — two in Bessemer, Alabama, and one in Adger, Alabama. When authorities rescued the animals, many bore scars and other injuries consistent with dog fighting, while others were living in conditions of severe neglect.
Investigators also seized two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun commonly known as a “Street Sweeper.” Under federal law, the firearm is classified as a destructive device.
In addition to the dogs and firearms, investigators recovered equipment allegedly used to train and maintain fighting dogs. The items included modified treadmills designed to condition dogs, injectable veterinary steroids, syringes, suture materials, skin staplers, intravenous bags and tubing, a homemade breeding stand and a break stick, a device used to force a dog to release its bite during a fight.
The rescued dogs were placed in a care program administered by the U.S Marshals Service. After the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama won a separate civil forfeiture action, ownership of the dogs was permanently transferred from Adams. The animals were then rehabilitated, evaluated and, when appropriate, made available for adoption.
Federal law prohibits not only participating in dog fighting ventures that affect interstate commerce but also possessing, training, transporting, delivering, selling, purchasing or receiving dogs for fighting purposes, officials stated.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the FBI and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.