Defendants Caught in the Largest Dog Fighting Raid in U.S. History Sentenced in Federal Court

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA — A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced  eight people who were arrested during the second largest dog fighting raid in U.S. History, officials said.

The judge said between 420 to 640 dogs were injured or killed in this animal cruelty case.

During the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Keith Watkins also ordered that after their release from prison the defendants will be prohibited from possessing dogs.

In addition,  a restitution hearing will be scheduled in the future where the defendants may be ordered to pay  the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States for the care of the dogs that were rescued.

Some defendants will be required to attend a drug program due to the large amounts of narcotics involved with this case.

On Aug. 23, 2013, The Humane Society and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals  assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI in seizing hundreds of dogs in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia.

Federal and local officials also seized firearms and drugs, as well as more than $500,000 in cash from dog fighting gambling activities.

Throughout the hearing, Judge Watkins commented on the extreme cruelty committed both due to dog fighting and the conditions in which these dogs were forced to live. He said the federal sentencing guidelines for dog fighting are wholly inadequate to address the seriousness of the crime.

He estimated that the defendants had injured or killed between 420 to 640 dogs in the course of this dog fighting operation. Also he noted was the amount of drugs, weapons and violence intertwined with dog fighting.

“These dogs lived in deplorable conditions that constituted extraordinary cruelty,” stated U.S. Attorney George L. Beck, Jr.

Adding, “They were made to fight and if they lost, they were killed. In addition to the brutality experienced by the dogs, these events attracted drugs dealers and illegal gambling. It was not uncommon for large amounts of cash, often between twenty and two-hundred thousand dollars, to change hands. The prospect of huge profits made these fights even more popular and provided a venue for other criminal activity. I hope that these sentences demonstrate the seriousness of this crime and will deter others from committing these atrocities.”
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Sentences ranged from six months to eight years—which is the longest prison term ever handed down in a federal dog fighting case, officials said.

Sentenced defendants:

• Donnie Anderson, 50, of Auburn, Alabama, received an eight-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy, sponsoring dog fights, possessing a fighting dog and operating an illegal gambling business
• Demontt Allen, 38, of Houston, Texas, received five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and admitting participation in high-stakes dog fights
• Michael Martin, 56, of Auburn, Alabama, received a five-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy and being a felon in possession of firearms
• Irkis Forrest, 33, of Theodore, Alabama, received a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy
• William Antone Edwards, 43, of Brantley, Ala. received one year and one day in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy
• Sandy Brown, 48, of Brownsville, Alabama, received six months in prison for sponsoring a dog fight
• Edward Duckworth, 39, of Decatur, Ga., received 14 months in prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy
• Jennifer McDonald, 36, of Collins, Miss., received two months in prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy.

“This is truly a landmark case for the animal welfare community,” said Tim Rickey, vice president of ASPCA Field Investigations and Response, who testified at the hearings.

Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to authorities.

Earlier this year, the Farm Bill was signed by President Obama, making it a federal offense to attend an organized animal fight and imposing additional penalties for bringing a minor to a fight.

Many of the dogs seized during this case have finally moved on to the second chapters of their lives and were placed with various rescue groups across the country to be made available for adoption, officials said.