Dog Fighting Ring Busted In Baltimore - After a year-long investigation, officials said a dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore Monday resulted in the indictment of 22 alleged members, 14 of whom are in custody.
According to authorities, hundreds of dogs were forced to fight in the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore.
Announcement of the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore was made Monday by the State's Attorney for Baltimore City. It followed the investigation held by the Major Investigations Unit of the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office and the Special Enforcement Section of the Baltimore Police Department, according to WBAL TV 11.
"The behavior of these individuals is despicable," said Col. Sean Miller of the Baltimore City police.
The indictment of those involved in the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore reportedly asserts a sprawling conspiracy dating back to April 2013. Several members were allegedly linked to a dog fighting bust in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.
Officials at Baltimore State's Attorney's Office wrote of the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore:
"The charging documents allege that from the summer of 2013 through the time of indictment, some 139 dogs, mostly pitbulls and including 28 puppies, were recovered from individuals implicated in the indictment along with a dozen firearms, numerous treadmills, breaking sticks, heavy chains, conditioning harnesses, steroids, topical and injectable medications meant to be administered by licensed professionals, bloodstained dogfighting rings, surgical equipment, and breeding stands (referred to by dogfighters, according to the indictments, as "rape stands"), which were used to facilitate the breeding, training, and fighting of dogs."
"In this unforgiving underworld, a dog who loses a fight is routinely executed, most commonly by hanging, electrocution, drowning or shooting," said Assistant State's Attorney Thiru Vignarajah.
The arrests of the defendants this week from the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore included the 17 search and seizure warrants, 14 of which were in Baltimore City, two in Baltimore County, and one in West Virginia. The arrests led to the discovery of weapons and instrumentalities of the dogfighting ring, including eight firearms and 86 additional dogs, five treadmills, two "rape stands," heavy chains, conditioning harnesses, and surgical equipment.
Of the dogs were pit bulls and nearly two dozen puppies. A marijuana grow operation as well as over $70,000 in cash have also been found during the police raids into the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore.
"We have bite sticks, weapons, forced treadmill activity to make the dogs stronger for fighting. It is just ridiculous behavior, especially in 2014. We still have human beings that feel dogs are bred to do this kind of thing. It's just ridiculous," said Miller.
"The firearms and narcotics seized during the course of this investigation and during the execution of the search warrants this week establish that there is a strong connection between those individuals who would subject animals to horrific treatment and abuse and those engaged in the drug trade and acts of violence," said State's Attorney Gregg Bernstein.
The indictment announced today highlights this connection and hopefully will protect innocent and vulnerable animals from further abuse and reduce violent criminal activity that adversely impacts our community," he added.
Seventeen of the 22 defendants indicted after the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore reportedly have criminal histories. Eight also have convictions for crimes of violence. Five of the 22 also have convictions for handgun violations; two have sex offense convictions; while one has a prior conviction for murder.
According to reports, the defendants in custody after the dog fighting ring was busted in Baltimore are:
- Daryl Addison, 38, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as four counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, four counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
- Omar Alfarouq, 76, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as sixteen counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, eighteen counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
- Anthony Banks, 37, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy.
- Dion Brown, 29, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as seven counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting and fourteen counts of animal abuse and neglect.
- Raymond Casey, 37, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as five counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting and eight counts of animal abuse and neglect.
- Larry Gardner, 34, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as four counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, four counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
- Rodney Greene, 38, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as eleven counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting and twelve counts of animal abuse and neglect.
- Jovon Lee, 41, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy.
- Clifton McCray, 39, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as eight counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, seventeen counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
- Craig McLaurin, 43, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy.
- William Murray, III, 26, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as five counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting and six counts of animal abuse and neglect.
- William Murray, Jr., 47, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy.
- Brandon Parker, 24, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as two counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, three counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
- Kenneth Rice, 54, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as seven counts of animal abuse andneglect, and other related charges.
- James Roles, 45, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as one count of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting.
- Antonio Ruffin, 47, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, and other related charges.
- Tavon Sol, 23, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as eleven counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, thirteen counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
- Daryl Solomon, 40, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as four counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting and four counts of animal abuse and neglect.
- Donald Wallace, 37, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as twelve counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, twelve counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
- Terry White, 38, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as four counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, three counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
- Tyrone Wolfe, 41, is charged with the dogfighting conspiracy, as well as three counts of aggravated cruelty related to dogfighting, four counts of animal abuse and neglect, and other related charges.
These people found after the dog fighting ring was busted in Baltimore after a year-long investigation and raids at more than a dozen locations have reportedly been charged with animal cruelty, dog fighting and conspiracy, according to WUSA 9.
Dogfighting, an underground criminal enterprise, involve breeding dogs systematically, then conditioning and training them to engage in violent brutal combat for entertainment and financial gain. Members of dogfighting rings have also been mixed up in firearms and narcotics trafficking.
According to authorities, the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore has links to New York as well.
Below is a WBAL-TV 11 report on the dog fighting ring busted in Baltimore via YouTube.
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