The publisher of an underground dogfighting magazine has been charged with animal cruelty and dogfighting felonies, officials said.
James Fricchione's home was raided on April 23, 2003 by agents from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, police and animal handlers from the Humane Society of the United States.
Investigators found 18 pit bulls at the residence, about 55 miles northwest of New York City, most of which had signs of injuries consistent with those inflicted in dogfights, said Dave Hoovler, Orange County assistant district attorney. Fricchione faces up to six years in prison if convicted of all counts.
Humane Society officials said Fricchione, 33, published the Sporting Dog Journal, an underground magazine that networks known and suspected dogfighters.
Police also seized equipment used to train dogs to fight as well as other paraphernalia, Hoovler said. Fricchione was released on $10,000 bail. Case UpdatesYesterday, in Goshen, New York, County Court Judge Nicholas DeRosa ordered convicted dogfighter James Fricchione to pay the Warwick Valley Humane Society more than $130,000 in restitution for the cost of caring for dogs seized from Fricchione by the New York State Police more than two years ago. The order was issued after lawyers for The Humane Society of the United States, the Animal Protection Foundation of Schenectady, and a broad coalition of animal shelters filed legal papers urging full restitution for the Warwick Valley Humane Society.
Fricchione was convicted in April 2004 of numerous felonies and misdemeanors for dog fighting-related crimes, including tampering with evidence when he attempted to remove two of his dogs from the Warwick Valley Humane Society�s shelter. At the time of Fricchione�s arrest, Eric Sakach, blood sports expert for The HSUS, described the charges against him as comprising �easily�the most significant case ever prosecuted with regard to the crime of dog fighting,�
Fricchione was sentenced to 2 1/3 to seven years in state prison in April, 2004, and that conviction was affirmed by the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department last July. A restitution hearing was then held before Judge DeRosa on September 19, at which Assistant District Attorney David Hoovler asked that the court order full financial restitution to the shelters that cared for Fricchione�s dogs during the adjudication of the case.
�The shelters that courageously assisted the law enforcement authorities by taking charge of the dogs seized in this case certainly deserve to be indemnified,� said HSUS program coordinator Samantha Mullen. �They incurred enormous financial as well as emotional burdens. In addition, they were targets of burglary attempts because fighting dogs are notoriously coveted by criminals who know their worth in the underground world of blood sports.�
James Fricchione, former publisher of Sporting Dog Journal, a magazine subscribed to by thousands of individuals suspected or convicted of dog fighting � some of whom received the publication at their prison addresses � is well known to dogfighters throughout the country and abroad. | Source: HSUS
Update posted on Nov 23, 2005 - 11:01AM |
He lost his appeal, and yesterday, in Orange County Court, James Fricchione lost his liberty.
Fricchione, 35, surrendered yesterday to begin serving a 2�-to-seven year sentence for turning his Westtown home into an arena for dogfights.
State police raided Fricchione's house in 2003, charging him with several counts of animal cruelty and related offenses. He also published a trade magazine, The Sporting Dog Journal, which was regarded by authorities as the definitive guidebook for dogfighting. After a nonjury trial before Judge Nicholas DeRosa, Fricchione was convicted in March 2004 of six felonies and five misdemeanors.
Prosecutor David Hoovler said at the time that Fricchione's reputation was such that "to the dog-fighting world, this is like taking down Al Capone."
The sentence was stayed while Fricchione appealed, arguing that the search warrant state police obtained for his house was defective. His appeal was rejected by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court.
Fricchione was being held at the Orange County Jail last night, pending transfer to a state prison. After he's paroled, he'll face similar charges in Pittsburgh. | Source: The Record Online - July 19, 2005
Update posted on Jul 25, 2005 - 5:23AM |
A state appeals court yesterday upheld last year's conviction of a man who turned his Westtown home into an arena for canine gladiators. James Fricchione was sentenced to 2 to 7 years in state prison last year in Orange County Court, after he was convicted of animal cruelty and related charges. He was convicted of six felonies and five misdemeanors after a nonjury trial before Judge Nicholas DeRosa.
Fricchione contended that state police didn't give a judge enough reason to issue a search warrant for Fricchione's home last year. His lawyer, Jim Herkenham of Slate Hill, asked the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court to overturn the verdict, arguing that key evidence should have been suppressed because of the deficient search warrant.
The appeal was rejected unanimously by a panel of four appellate division justices.
They ordered Fricchione to return to County Court to surrender and serve his sentence. The date hasn't been set.
Fricchione was reputed to be such a prolific promoter of dogfighting that when he was convicted, prosecutor David Hoovler said, "To the dogfighting world, this is like taking down Al Capone." | Source: Record Online - July 8, 2005
Update posted on Jul 9, 2005 - 5:35AM |
The 34-year-old publisher of a dogfighting magazine was convicted of animal cruelty and dogfighting felonies, almost a year after 18 pit bulls were taken from his property.
James Fricchione was found guilty by a judge of one dogfighting and four cruelty counts, as well as five misdemeanors. He publishes the bimonthly Sporting Dog Journal, with about 6,000 subscribers nationwide, from his home in Westtown, about 55 miles northwest of New York City.
Most of the 18 pit bulls had injuries like those inflicted in dog fights, prosecutor Dave Hoovler said. Police also seized equipment used to train fighting dogs.
Fricchione, who remains free on $10,000 bail. He faces sentencing April 14, 2004 before Orange County Judge Nicholas DeRosa. Defense attorney Norman Shapiro said there are grounds for appeal. | | Update posted on Mar 15, 2004 - 2:57PM |
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