Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson, once a standout college athlete and professional player, was indicted on federal charges for allegedly operating a large-scale dog-fighting and trafficking operation in Oklahoma. Authorities seized 190 bull-typedogsfromJohnson's properties in Broken Arrow and Haskell, marking the largest single-person dog seizure in a federal dog-fighting case.
Johnson, 54, is accused of running 'Mal Kant Kennels,' whereheallegedlybred and sold dogs for fighting purposes. The indictment includes 21 counts related to the possession, sale and transportation of animals for fighting ventures. If convicted, Johnson faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.
This is not Johnson's first encounter with the law regarding animal fighting. In 2004, he pleaded guilty to state animal fighting charges in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, dog fighting is a felony offense.
State statutes prohibit various activities related to dog fighting, including instigating or encouraging a dog fight, keeping a place, equipment, or facilities for dog fighting, servicing or facilitating a dog fight and owning, possessing, keeping or training a dog for fighting purposes. Convictions for these offenses can result in significant fines and imprisonment.
Recent legislative efforts in Oklahoma have aimed to reduce penalties for animal fighting offenses. For instance, House Bill 1792 proposed decreasing fines for dog fighting to $500 and reclassifying certain animal cruelty offenses as non-violent, sparking controversy among animal rights advocates.
Johnson's case underscores the ongoing challenges in combating illegal animal fighting operations and highlights the need for stringent enforcement of animal cruelty laws to protect vulnerable animals from exploitation and abuse. Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states, as well as under federal laws such as, Animal Welfare Act – 7 U.S.C. § 2156, Prohibits sponsoring, exhibiting, buying, selling or transporting animals for fighting and carries a maximum penalty up to five years in prison and/or fines.
Preventing Animal Cruelty andTortureAct–18U.S.C. § 48, makes it a federal crime to engage in or facilitate animal crushing, which includes severe animal cruelty, like dog fighting, which carries a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison and/or fines. The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, strengthened federal penalties for dog fighting, increasing prison terms to up to five years per offense.
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Farm Bill, expanding dog fighting bans to U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and Guam. Punishments can vary from law enforcement seizing dogs and any property used for dog fighting and convicted individuals may be prohibited from owning dogs in the future.
The FBI classifies dog fighting as a Tier 1 felony, meaning it’s prioritized in investigations. Underground operations make enforcement difficult, with fights often held in rural or private locations. Dog fighting is often connected to illegal gambling, drug trafficking and violent crime.