Dog-fighting
Lake City, FL (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Dec 15, 2007
County: Columbia
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Gantry Louis Belvin
» Todd Shevan Williams
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the ring that was broken up in Columbia City on Dec. 15 at 1345 Nautilus Road. Deputies responded after a tip alerted them to possible dog fights and when officers arrived, they were forced to take evasive action to avoid more than 20 fleeing vehicles.
Two vehicles were stopped and two men were arrested.
Columbia County Sheriff Bill Gootee said that, according to statements from area residents, this may have been the fourth dog fight at this location.
"We don't know how many months apart they may have been, but this wasn't an every weekend thing," he said. "It's more like a circuit, where they're one place one weekend and another place the next."
Gootee confirmed that he had spoken with the owner of the property, Wayne Gainer, who told Gootee that he was unaware of the dog fighting occurring on his property.
Gainer was unavailable for comment as he was not listed in the phone book.
He said the arena where the dog fighting was occurring was a crudely constructed 20 feet by 20 feet ring that was lit by lights nailed to boards. Investigation revealed that several fights potentially were scheduled to occur that day but posted lookout men spotted deputies before they arrived and alerted those taking part in the dog fighting, relayed the information and caused suspects to flee the area.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is assisting in the investigation.
Lake City Animal Shelter Director Margaret Smith confirmed Friday that two pit bulls that were confiscated by law enforcement on Dec. 15 are being housed at the Lake City Animal Shelter and they are "doing fine," but likely would not be housed at the facility for much longer.
Case UpdatesWhen Columbia County Sheriff's deputies received reports in mid-December of an excessive amount of cars entering a wooded area, the deputies decided to take a look.
When they arrived, more than 20 vehicles in the area began leaving at high rates of speed. Deputies had to take evasive action not to be hit. As deputies began chasing one SUV in particular, another SUV began ramming the deputies' patrol car.
When the incident was over, only two cars had been stopped but what deputies found left behind was massive -- and is still the focus of an ongoing investigation.
That night, Dec. 15, perhaps as many as 60 people had descended on Nautilus Road outside Fort White to watch a pit bull dog fight.
The area had been set up by professionals, Columbia County Sheriff Bill Gootee said.
There was an arena, a generator for power and lighting, several large vats of water and a concession stand with uncooked meat.
In one of the cars eventually stopped was found $24,000, a set of scales and a betting ledger. Also found were two pit bulls, one with excessive scars on his front legs and face and healing sores on his front legs.
Heavy harnesses and leashes were also found.
Those attending that night's fight likely learned about the location from a Website, and the location for the next dog fight would likely have been announced at that night's fight, Gootee said.
Gootee said no new arrests have been made since the two that night but he added that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now involved and the investigation continues.
"This was part of a circuit where they show up at these different occasions," Gootee said. "It was well-organized."
Gootee said deputies were caught off-guard that night and did not know what they were about to find. He said that when the nearly two dozen cars began leaving the area, the deputies could not stop them all.
Instead, they focused on a silver SUV that appeared to be the lead car, Gootee said. But as deputies were chasing that SUV, a black SUV began chasing the deputies and ramming their patrol car.
Eventually, the silver SUV got stuck in the dirt and the driver got out and ran into the woods, never to be located.
But the black SUV was stopped later that night at the corner of Old Wire Road and Carol Avenue. Inside were Gantry Louis Belvin, 36 and Todd Shevan Williams, 29.
Each were charged with fighting or baiting animals and unlawful assembly. Both men were booked into the Columbia County Jail and released on $42,000 bond each.
Gootee said that while dog fighting has been in the national conscious lately with several high-profile cases, he was still not expecting the scope and size of what they found that night outside Fort White.
"You hear about a dog fight but you don't think about it on a large scale," he said. | Source: High Springs Herald - Jan 24, 2008
Update posted on Jan 25, 2008 - 3:49PM |
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