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Case #13427 Rating: 1.0 out of 5
Dog-fighting
Flomaton, AL (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008
County: Escambia
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 1 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Dale Lynn Carnley
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A 27-year-old Flomaton man recently released from prison landed in jail Tuesday after he tried to sell a pit bull as an experienced fighting dog to an undercover officer, investigators said.
Flomaton police arrested Dale Lynn Carnley at his home on College Street at about 1:30 p.m. after the officer bought a dog Carnley said was used in a fight on Monday, said Renee Jones, Escambia County Animal Cruelty investigator and director of the Escambia County Humane Society.
Carnley was charged with owning, possessing and keeping a dog with the intent to fight, cruelty to a dog in the first degree and resisting arrest, investigators said.
If convicted, Carnley could serve up to 20 years in prison, authorities said.
The case is symptomatic of a growing problem even among teenagers in the area, officials said. They cited an investigation into a separate case begun after teachers found images of dogs fighting on a student's cell phone.
Jones said authorities were tipped off that Carnley was trying to sell a dog injured in a dog fight.
Undercover officers from Santa Rosa County, Fla., Sheriff's Office met Carnley at his home and bought a pit bull named Batman with extensive bite wounds on his neck.
Officers seized the dog and took him to a veterinarian, Jones said. Three other adult pit bulls were also removed from the property along with two 3-week-old puppies.
The three adults were in good condition with no wounds. The puppies were hungry and being nursed by a Rottweiler with three puppies of her own at the animal shelter, Jones said.
The dogs will be evaluated for adoptability, Jones said.
Court records show Carnley has a lengthy arrest record including theft, breaking and entering, promoting prison contraband, burglary, public intoxication, driving with suspended license, driving under the influence and harassment.
He was out of prison on probation from a drug sentence at the time of his arrest this week, records show.
The Humane Society of the United States offers $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a dogfighter. Tipsters' identities can be kept anonymous, Jones said.
Jones said dog fighting is "on the rise all over this country, and we are definitely seeing its popularity within the segment of population that is male between the ages of 12 and 25."
Officers are currently investigating a case involving juveniles who used their cell phones to videotape their pets fighting at a home, Jones said. After one of the teens lost a phone at school, teachers found it and turned it over to authorities when discovering the video.
Authorities declined to identify the students or their school.
Investigators determined the teens were not involved in organized dog fighting, but had planned to use the video to sell puppies, Jones said. No charges have been filed in that case, which is ongoing.
Case UpdatesA Flomaton man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of dog fighting and one count of cruelty to a dog. Dale Lynn Carnley of Flomaton received the sentence Thursday.
Carnley's probation from a previous charge of attempting to possess a controlled substance was also revoked, resulting in the return to prison to serve the remaining 14 years of that 15 year sentence.
On March 18, 2008, Carnley admitted to fighting his dog, Batman, against another dog in Santa Rosa County on March 17th and then placing the dog, severely wounded and bleeding, in a dogbox and returning to Flomaton where he left the dog in the box overnight with no medical treatment.
Carnley then attempted to sell Batman by showing his wounds and relating the details of the fight to undercover police officers. A total of six dogs were seized from the property along with various dog fighting paraphernalia.
Elizabeth Carnley, Dale Carnley's wife, has also been indicted under charges of dog fighting and cruelty to a dog. She is awaiting trial.
"We will not tolerate the torture and death of innocent animals. The prosecution of these types of crimes against animals is both difficult and costly, nevertheless, we are committed, with the constant and unwavering support of our local law enforcement here in Escambia County, Alabama, to doing all that we can to catch and punish dog fighters." said Renee Jones, Director of the Humane Society of Escambia County, Ala.
Five people were arrested for dog fighting in Escambia County, Ala., in 2008 with three arrests in Santa Rosa County and four arrests in Autagua County, Ala. as a result of investigations that begain in Escambia County, Ala. Those investigations are continuing. | Source: NorthEscambia.com - Feb 28, 2009
Update posted on Mar 1, 2009 - 10:07PM |
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