Animal Welfare News

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with his involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against animals.

PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man who previously admitted to possessing, sponsoring and exhibiting birds in an animal fighting venture was sentenced today in federal court for violating the Animal Welfare Act, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

A Tennessee woman pleaded guilty to crimes based on her involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.

An Ohio man pleaded guilty to federal dog fighting and drug crimes.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - Following a multi-day trial, a federal jury in Oklahoma last week convicted Leshon Eugene Johnson, 54, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on six felony counts of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act’s prohibitions against possessing, selling, transporting, and delivering animals to be used in fighting ventures.

Following the verdict, Johnson surrendered to the government the 190 dogs seized in this case.  The government is pursuing forfeiture of these dogs.  The United States Marshals Service cares for dogs seized in dog fighting cases through its asset forfeiture program.

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