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Feds Arrest Five In Local Dogfighting Ring Investigation
September 26, 2019
Five individuals have been arrested on a 44-count federal indictment charging violations of the dogfighting prohibitions of the federal Animal Welfare Act, and conspiracy to commit those violations.
Shane Patrick Sprague, 35, of Pensacola, Derek Jedidiah Golson, aka Derek Jedidiah Murray, 38, of Pensacola, Haley Cook Murph, 24, of Milton, Florida, David Lee Moser, 36, of Waynesboro, Tennessee, and James “Tommy” Peek, 67, of Milton, Florida were indicted a the case involving C Wood Kennels in Pensacola, Florida.
The indictment alleges that defendants Sprague and Golson operated C Wood Kennels, a dogfighting operation that arranged dogfights, allowed fighting dogs to attack “bait” animals, and trafficked in fighting dogs with defendant Moser and others outside of Florida, including through an underground dogfighting website. The indictment further alleges that defendant Peek acted as a source to supply fighting dogs to C Wood Kennels.
According to the indictment, defendant Murph’s role was that of a makeshift “veterinarian” for C Wood Kennels. Although Murph at no time possessed a veterinary license, she offered to and did perform veterinary and surgical procedures on fighting dogs so the kennel could avoid the scrutiny of a licensed veterinarian. The defendant also possessed veterinary equipment used to treat injured fighting dogs, including skin staplers, sutures, intravenous bags and lines, scalpels, and injectable animal steroids.
“As this case demonstrates, we are aggressively prosecuting dogfighters and those who support their inhumane criminal enterprises – including unscrupulous veterinarians or veterinary poseurs,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We thank our federal and local law enforcement partners who made this operation possible.”
“Dogfighting is a blight on humanity, one that has no place in the Northern District of Florida or anywhere else,” said U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe of the Northern District of Florida. “We will continue to work with federal and local law enforcement agencies to root out this barbaric blood sport, in Florida and beyond.”
“The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act were designed to protect animals from being used in illegal fighting ventures, which often entail other forms of criminal activity involving drugs, firearms, and gambling,” said Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “Animal fighting is an investigative priority for USDA-OIG, and together with the Department of Justice we will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who participate in animal fighting ventures.”
The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony to sponsor or exhibit an animal in an animal fighting venture and to possess, train, sell, purchase, transport, deliver or receive an animal for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture.
Pictured: Law enforcement and the ASPCA conducted an operation in the 7000 block of Beulah Road in July 2018. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
40 Responses to “Feds Arrest Five In Local Dogfighting Ring Investigation”
once again pure ignorance from 90 percent. get off on a subject that has nothing to do with article this is about fighting dogs… you should go to Korea…. its custom and regular they fight horses in public … it sucks but they do
This is disgusting and horrific!! Hopefully they’ll be punished to full extent of the law and will never be allowed to own animals of any kind in the future. They need to have their sick heads examined!!
Why are their pictures not shown? Were they not even arrested? Scumbags like these are predators and just like child molesters their bloodlust and need for violence will not change. There deprived entertainment probably accounts for the fate of quite a few missing pets in the Pensacola area – torn apart and killed as their bait animals.
The legal system will do nothing to punish garbage like this. Hopefully social media will plaster their pictures and addresses everywhere to warn people to be alert should they decide to relocate somewhere else and continue their “bloody sport” with innocent creatures.
I can clearly pick out who,only by their comments,is a genuinely good person/people…. I’ve ALWAYS heard that, ” You can see a man’s true heart by his treatment of animals.” That could be seen in some of these comments.They just can’t EVEN FAKE being a good kind-hearted person!!
Look up previews to “The Hunt”
That’s what these kind of people could get into next!
Once dog fighting gets boring and not making money!
What’s really sad is the people that participate in this activity, whether a spectator or dog owner have one thing in common. There’s something broken in their head, somewhere is an open short in their wiring, that they could enjoy such visciousness. Sadly, the real animals are not the ones down in the pit, but those looking on.
All the folks on here complaining about this not being a crime or about it being a petty crime you are obviously criminals deserving a little justice yourselves. A fitting punishment for you would be to have you do community service for animal control putting yourself out there to witness the barbaric nature of man I bet you would change your tune real qucik.
To those of you trying to compare this to abortion, babies are not starved beaten and put into a ring to fight one another to the death also weaker babies are not used as bait for stronger babies to kill. If you don’t care about animals you are no better then the people you hate.
To everyone wanting these s.o.b. s to do time they probably wont do much if any. You want real justice visit their Facebook accounts and leave a comment they are not hard to find.
@NWFL I get it if you don’t allow my comment but I had to get it off my chest. I saw this yesterday and it has really been on my mind.
Save jail space for real criminals, save taxpayers money by prosecuting real criminals. If it makes you feel better write them a couple fines but quit taking my money and using it to prosecute people who have different perspective’s than you.
I had the great misfortune of having one of Mr. Spragues “show dogs” attack my dog as I walked him near their home. The dog in question “Cain” is actually named in the indictment several times as a stud for “fighting lineage”. Cain himself didn’t show any signs or scars from fighting, but his actions that day said all that needed to be said. He bit my dog on the neck and would not under any circumstances open his mouth until his owner jammed a well worn “bite stick” between his teeth to force his jaws to separate. If I’d been armed that day, they’d have buried ol’ Cain. To their credit, the Spragues paid the vet bill, and to be honest, they seemed like a really nice young family. However, this is a federal indictment, and the alibi of just raising “show dogs” simply doesn’t hold water. The evidence that they show dogs is clear, but my sense is that the show piece is simply completing the cover for their wrong doing (“In case we get caught”). The horrors outlined in the indictment warrant real fines and long terms in prison. IMHO.
What part of town was this taking place in.. neighbors didn’t know or hear anything. Good Grief people…. don’t allow abuse of any kind, animals, children the elderly… be a whistleblower… it’s the right thing to do.
I agree with Sedition!
WADE, Craiglist lost and found sure had allot of pits listed as lost
Wonder how many might have ended as bait dogs. You must not own any pets thinking this just needs a fine.
Well said charlene.its all about money so why dont they get a real job.the judges need to see this in action an maybe they would have hard laws.if their poodle was used as dog bait they would feel different.same goes for people that starve animals.yes the prisons are over crowded for stupied stuff but real crimes needs to be there.an the people that condone this stuff.you gona answer to your maker
Dogfighting is a CRIME. It is inhumane, wicked, barbaric, & driven by GREED.
Save your whining about abortion, cheerleader baby murders, & the like, for a story that actually concerns such things. Apples & Oranges, people, Apples & Oranges.
Wade:
“I feel like they the world has going crazy a girl just killed her baby and buried it in a shollow grave and gets nothin but a hand slap and here everyone is wanting to throw the book at this people it’s ok to kill a Innocent baby but load someone hurts a animal and the whole world goes crazy and wants to Crussafie these people I say fine the heck out of them I do not condone dog fighting but jails a for the Criminals not this petty crap”
Petty crap?? Have you ever seen what happens to the dogs that lose? How about the dogs that are used as bait? Try searching for imagines on the internet. I agree that babies should not be killed either but do NOT gloss over the fact of how sick a “sport” dog fighting is.
@Resident and Wade
Animals and Babies are all God’s creatures that we as RESPONSIBLE and caring adults have to protect them from the ones that are not. People that will go to these extremes are not making good parenting choices either (if children involved). So NO we can’t turn our heads, because before you know it they will be in your backyard for sport. Evil is evil!
Glad these “animals” are out of the dog fighting picture. There are still too many of them around. Just one is too many. Thank you officers for your good work. You are appreciated.
Dog fights are horrific. Small pets are stolen to be used as bait. Puppies a guided through false pretenses are used as baith. These bait animals did a horrific death, as well as the animals that are fighting. Bringing up abortion, or other horrific crimes have nothing to do with the right or wrong of this case.
I , personally would like to see them thrown into a pit and turn the fighting dogs on them. But since that is probably not an option then I say punish them beyond the extent of the law…it is time to make the punishment for the crime!
Wade and Straight Shooter, ah, the old abortion deflection. Obviously with all the children that you have adopted and are fostering, including those with special needs, drug addicted mother’s infants and those with fetal alcohol syndrome, how do you find time to come on here and comment about dog fighting?
Resident, you sound like someone that knows quite a bit about this and probably has friends in the “biz”. You know you can go to the casinos and gamble. The only thing that will be injured or die will be your wallet. You don’t have to wager on blood.
I don’t see anywhere that say you have to care about animals OR babies. You can care about both, but this story happens to be about dog fighting. I’m sorry to the commenters who don’t seem to have ever had a dog in the family. They’re are living being and there are laws in place for a reason. These idiots deserves to be put into a ring and fight to their death. Have you ever volunteered at a rescue or seen first hand the effects of dog fighting? It’s heartbreaking. All these animals want to do is please their owners, which in this case are steaming piles of garbage.
@Wade….chill sir,chill… this comment section is for the news story above it.Aka,about the dogfighting…not a baby that was MURDERED.Yes,that is a terrible,sad ,evil story also,BUT( and it’s a big one) this comment section is NOT about the baby that has passed.And I’m very SURE EVERY other person that has commented is ALSO upset over THAT news story too..it’s just not the TOPIC!!
Thank you,all of those who were involved in taking down these gross,evil and cruel prices of garbage.I do what I can for ALL critters in need,but your kind work is on a much larger,difficult scale,a and I appreciate and applaud each and EVERY ONE who stands up for animals that cannot do so themselves.2 years ago my dogs disappeared from my fenced yard…only my smaller ones..3 of them,gone..I heard thru neighbours that many are stolen for “”BAIT DOGS”".That broke my heart..I put out every kind of missing/lost alert available,yet my sweet babies have yet to be seen.I hope that has not become their fate.I feel so sick thinking anyone could put a live ,loved creature out for attack,knowing they WILL be tortured,maimed,killed..how could you sleep at night After those poor critter’s lil eyes looked to you for help,and you set them out to be hurt and killed..horrible..just horrible.
So thankful. Please keep up the good work and rid this country of this blight on humanity and common decency.
Man people make more of a big deal over a dog a dog for Pete’s sake give them a fine and send them home leave the prisons for the real law breakers and murders and the pedophiles and the rapist the ones who need to spend the rest of the lives In Prison dont waist tax payer dollars by feeding some one who was involved in a dog fight
Throw them in with the dogs and let the dogs take their justice.
Wade, you are spot on. I don’t see any comments on how many babies were killed by abortion today. Weather you agree with it or not they are still dead babies. Dogs are animals. Punishment should fit the crime.
Please do not let these scum bags out of jail!!!
Wade, maybe if you’d worked as an ACO & had to pick up the dog fighter’s throwed out dogs with ears & faces all chewed off & legs broken in multiple places & the dog’s are licking you as you try to gently pick them up so you don’t hurt them more, you may could hate them as bad as I do
I feel like they the world has going crazy a girl just killed her baby and buried it in a shollow grave and gets nothin but a hand slap and here everyone is wanting to throw the book at this people it’s ok to kill a Innocent baby but load someone hurts a animal and the whole world goes crazy and wants to Crussafie these people I say fine the heck out of them I do not condone dog fighting but jails a for the Criminals not this petty crap
Dogs, auto correct
It will be just like the Michael Vick case, they’ll be out in no time & own more digs!
I cried when I read this. Please, please punish these people. Please don’t slap their wrists. I vote for throwing them in a pit and let the dogs go at em!!!! This is pure evil.
No deals and no easy pleas..prosecute them to the fullest..maximum sentences for all. This is sick behavior and deserves no mercy. Don’t hate the dogs..hate the humans who trained them for this behavior…
@john
“Now tell me how does putting dog fighters in a pit for the dogs to tear at as punishment make you any better as a moral person?”
Who said ANYTHING about morality?! I said JUSTICE.
Punishment should have nothing to do with morality and everything to do with the punishment fitting the crime.
Now tell me how does putting dog fighters in a pit for the dogs to tear at as punishment make you any better as a moral person?
These people are sick individuals, put each one of them in a dog fighting pit and use them as bait! Prison is to good for them!
A long jail sentence is required for these thugs. Maybe they could talk to Michael Vick regarding jail time for his arrest for dog fighting, another thug put in jail.
Seize their property and lock them up!
Jail time. Nothing less. No deals, nothing.
You want justice?
Throw these scumbags into a fighting cage and release the dogs on them.