var _sf_startpt=(new Date()).getTime() Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dog-fighting - 17 dogs, 4 puppies seized - Los Angeles, CA (US)
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Case ID: 11372
Classification: Fighting
Animal: dog (pit-bull)
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Attorneys/Judges
Judge(s): William N. Sterling, Bob S. Bowers Jr.


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Dog-fighting - 17 dogs, 4 puppies seized
Los Angeles, CA (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007
County: Los Angeles

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted

Defendants/Suspects:
» Walter Citizen
» Arnett William Counts

Case Updates: 9 update(s) available

Los Angeles's Animal Cruelty Task Force announced one arrest, while another suspect is apparently still at large in an investigation of dog fighting in south Los Angeles.

The south Los Angeles shelter said friendly puppies they displayed on May 2 were destined to be part of the violent dog fighting underworld.

"They want to make money. They want to make money on the blood of these animals," said LA City Councilman Tony Cardenas.

Four pit bull pups and 17 adults were rescued after the city's new Animal Cruelty Task Force received a tip.

Officials said the animals were allegedly housed and being bred for fighting at a south LA home.

One man was arrested and another man, identified as Arnett Counts, is still at large, officials said.

Task force managers said animal cruelty of this kind is a felony because the stakes are much higher than many people may think.

"There is a correlation between animal abuse and domestic abuse and child abuse," said Assistant Chief Sharon Papa.

Both defendants in this case face 10 counts of animal cruelty.

Councilmember Tony Cardenas on Wednesday introduced a measure to start a reward fund for tips that lead to busts on dog fighting.

He said members of the public should know they can report anonymously on this matter.

"We are no longer going to tolerate animal cruelty in the city of Los Angeles," said Cardenas.


Case Updates

A man found guilty of felony dog fighting charges stemming from a raid on a property where 17 adult pit bulls and four puppies were found has been sentenced to three years in state prison.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Bob S. Bowers Jr. denied the defense's request for probation for 42-year-old Arnett William Counts, saying he believed "this case cries out for some punishment other than probation."

The judge ordered Counts to serve three years behind bars on each of the 10 felony counts, but ordered the sentences to run at the same time.

"What troubles me most about this probation and sentencing is the fact that Mr. Counts has a 2-year-old daughter," Bowers said. "Children very much need to be around their parents."

In an emotional statement, the defendant told the judge that he is "extremely remorseful" and "will never be involved in any type of criminal activity again."

But he said he had "never fought a dog" and "never attended a dog fighting" match, and told the judge he had "learned a valuable lesson about associating with certain individuals."

Counts was convicted Nov. 5 of 10 counts of unlawfully owning, possessing, keeping or training a dog with the intent to have the dog engage in fighting with other canines.

Co-defendant Walter Citizen III, now 43, pleaded guilty Feb. 8 to five dog-fighting charges and was sentenced to five years in state prison.

The Los Angeles County Animal Cruelty Task Force found the animals - including two licensed to Counts - and some of Counts' personal documents at Citizen's property in March 2007, according to prosecutors.

The dogs that were recovered during the investigation had "healed injuries or scars that the experts testified were consistent with dog fighting," Deputy District Attorney Deborah Knaan said earlier.

Five of the dogs seized from the property were turned over to animal rescue groups, while the others were euthanized, Knaan said.

Defense attorney Lawrence Forbes characterized his client's crimes as a "low-grade felony," saying that "it isn't like selling narcotics to children."

"He shouldn't be slammed and forgotten about," Counts' attorney told the judge.

But Bowers, who noted that the subject of dogs being raised and trained to fight is "a very controversial issue in our society," disputed the defense's characterization of the crimes.

"It is a felony and it is a serious matter," the judge said. "Mr. Counts, I think to say that you made a bad decision is an understatement."

The judge also ordered Counts to pay $3,142 in restitution to the city's Department of Animal Services in connection with the confiscated dogs.

Several hours after the sentence was handed down, Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton vowed to keep up the pressure against criminals who participate in dog fighting.

"Our task force has had two prior dog-fighting convictions in which the defendants were sentenced to five years," Bratton said, speaking to reporters outside the LAPD's downtown headquarters.

"This tragic case is another win, as the animals have been rescued and the defendants found guilty," he said. "The city and county take these cases very seriously, and we will continue to actively pursue them to the fullest extent of the law."
Source: Los Angeles Wave - Dec 1, 2008
Update posted on Dec 1, 2008 - 9:00PM 
A jury has convicted a man of running a dogfighting ring out of a South Los Angeles house.

The district attorney's office says jurors deliberated about three hours Wednesday before finding Arnett Counts guilty of 10 felony counts of dogfighting. He faces a maximum of nine years in prison.

Animal cruelty investigators found 21 pitbulls bearing scars and fresh wounds last year at a house belonging to Walter Citizen III. Citizen pleaded guilty to five felony animal cruelty counts earlier this year and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Investigators also found personal documents belonging to Counts at the house.

Several of the dogs were later euthanized and others were adopted.
Source: Mercury News - Nov 5, 2008
Update posted on Nov 6, 2008 - 11:33PM 
A man was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to five counts of animal cruelty in connection with a dogfighting ring.

Walter Citizen, 42, entered his plea Friday and then was sentenced by Superior Court Judge William N. Sterling. Five other counts were dismissed.

Citizen was arrested in April after a city animal cruelty task force found more than 20 dogs, including 17 adult pit bulls and four puppies at a home linked to the defendant. Prosecutors said many of the dogs were underweight and had fresh wounds consistent with dog fighting. Dogfighting equipment also was discovered on the property.

Some of the dogs confiscated were euthanized, while others were put up for adoption.

Arnett Counts, 41, also was charged in connection with the case. He is free on bail and is scheduled to stand trial next month.
Source: The Mercury News - Feb 8, 2008
Update posted on Feb 10, 2008 - 7:32PM 
The trial for two alleged Los Angeles dog-fighters has been postponed. Walter "Randy" Citizen and Arnett William Counts will appear in court next for a pre-trial conference on February 6, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. A new trial date has not been set.
Source: Case #'s BA319187 01 and 02
Update posted on Jan 15, 2008 - 1:21PM 
Two Los Angeles men accused of running a dog-fighting operation will go on trial in January.

Walter Colbert Citizen and Arnett William Counts are charged with multiple felonies stemming from an April raid by the Animal Cruelty Task Force, when four puppies and 17 adult dogs were seized.

"These guys were in possession of 17 dogs who had multiple old scars, particularly on their face, chest, forelimbs and their ears - and some of them also had new wounds," said LAPD Det. Susan Brumagin at the time. "One still had medical staples in it - you just don't get all this scarring by accidentally getting off a chain and fighting another dog."

Both men are scheduled to face a jury trial on January 14, 2008.
Source: Case #'s BA319187-01 and 02
Update posted on Nov 9, 2007 - 4:06PM 
Two Los Angeles men accused of running a dog-fighting operation will appear in court for a pre-trial conference on October 5th.

Walter Colbert Citizen and Arnett William Counts are charged with multiple felonies stemming from an April raid by the Animal Cruelty Task Force.

Counts is free after posting bail. Citizen faces a probation violation on a prior charge and remains in custody.
Source: Case #'s BA31918701 and 02
Update posted on Aug 10, 2007 - 4:20PM 
Two men accused of running a dog-fighting operation will appear in court next month.

Walter Colbert Citizen and Arnett William Counts are charged with ten counts of owning and training dogs to fight.

The charges stem from April, when 4 puppies and 17 adult dogs with numerous wounds and scars were seized by officers with the Animal Cruelty Task Force.

Citizen, who is also facing a probation violation on a prior weapons charge, remains in custody. Counts is free after posting bail.

Both will appear in court next on August 8 at 8:30 a.m. at the Central Criminal Courts Building in Los Angeles.
Source: LA County Case # BA31918701 and 02
Update posted on Jul 20, 2007 - 7:07PM 
Followiing an Animal Cruelty Task Force Press Conference at Animal Services' South LA Animal Care Center on May 2, 2007, Arnett Counts, 40, surrendered quietly in Department 36 at the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles on May 8, 2007.

Counts is charged with ten counts of owning and training dogs to fight. Seventeen adult dogs with numerous old and new fighting scars were removed from a residence where Counts maintained the dogs. Four puppies were also removed.

If convicted, Counts could be sentenced to up to three years in state prison.
Source: LA Animal Services Press Release - May 10, 2007
Update posted on May 11, 2007 - 2:01PM 
The Los Angeles Police Department on Wednesday announced that a 41-year-old South Los Angeles man has been arrested and charged with possessing 17 fighting dogs and dog-fighting paraphernalia.

Walter Citizen, 41, was arrested in April and is in Men's Central Jail awaiting a court date next week. He has been charged with 10 felony counts related to dog fighting.

Meanwhile, police said they are searching for an accomplice, Arnett Counts, 40.

"These guys were in possession of 17 dogs who had multiple old scars, particularly on their face, chest, forelimbs and their ears - and some of them also had new wounds," said LAPD Det. Susan Brumagin. "One still had medical staples in it - you just don't get all this scarring by accidentally getting off a chain and fighting another dog."

Citizen pleaded not guilty last month. His attorney could not be reached for comment.

The dogs - in addition to four puppies also found at the home - are being kept in city shelters, where they have been treated for their wounds and will be held as evidence for the time being. Deborah Knaan, assistant general manager for operations of the city's animal services agency, said the dogs could be adopted if they are found to not be aggressive to people or animals.

Brumagin said that police suspected dogs were being trained for fighting at a home on 85th Street after it was the subject of an unrelated narcotics investigation in 2004.

Officials didn't immediately follow up on their suspicions, however, due to a lack of communication between the LAPD and the city's animal services agency, Brumagin said. But a subsequent complaint spurred police to investigate activity at the house in early March.

The arrest was one of the most high profile so far for the city's fledgling animal cruelty task force, created in 2005.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of suspected accomplice Counts is asked to call the animal cruelty task force at (213) 847-1417.
Source: LA Times - May 3, 2007
Update posted on May 3, 2007 - 5:08AM 

References

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