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Case Snapshot
Case ID: 13758
Classification: Fighting, Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: dog (pit-bull)
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Dog-fighting - 21 dogs seized
Lynwood, IL (US)

Incident Date: Monday, May 12, 2008
County: Cook

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 8 files available

Alleged: Harry F. Starks

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Police say a 42-year-old Sauk Village man faces animal cruelty charges after investigators found 21 pit bulls chained in a field Monday behind a Lynwood home.

Harry F. Starks faces 21 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and 21 counts of misdemeanor animal neglect in connection with the discovery, which Lynwood police made following a tip from a village resident, according to a Lynwood Police Department news release.

Starks, who is free on bond, is scheduled to appear for a June 11 hearing in Cook County Court in Markham, the news release said.

Starks' bond amount was not immediately available, Cook County state's attorney's office spokesman Tandra Simonton said.

A call to Lynwood Police Chief Russell Pearson was not returned.

Police arrested Starks after he returned home to find Lynwood police officers, officials from the Cook County Sheriff's Department and the Cook County Animal Control Department and the humane society and animal welfare workers on the property, the news release said.

The investigators arrived after a village resident saw 15 dogs chained in a field behind a residence in the 3500 block of Glenwood-Dyer Road, and called police, the news release said.

Investigators found 15 pit bulls -- about 200 yards from the road and not visible to motorists -- secured with short, heavy chains in a horse pasture, the news release said. The dogs had no food or water within reach, but appeared healthy, the news release said.

About 100 yards to the southwest, police found six more dogs, and in the residence police found items related to dog fighting and exercise equipment, the news release said.

The animals were removed to local shelters, the news release said.


Case Updates

Accused dog-fighter Harry Starks is scheduled to appear in court next on February 11 at 9:00 a.m. at the Markham Courthouse.

Starks faces felony charges stemming from May 12, 2008, when authorities allegedly found 21 dogs chained in a field behind a Lynwood home.

Fifteen of the dogs were about 200 yards from the road and secured with short, heavy chains in a horse pasture, police said. The dogs reportedly had no food or water.

About 100 yards to the southwest, police found six more dogs and a vehicle that contained newsletters and photos associated with dogfighting. While searching the area, investigators also reportedly found a breeding rack and a contraption that can be used to strengthen a dog's jaws.
Source: Case #08CR1407201
Update posted on Jan 23, 2009 - 5:47PM 
A 42-year-old Sauk Village man turned himself into to police Thursday to face 21 counts of felony dogfighting.

Harry F. Starks already had faced animal cruelty charges following the May 12 seizure of 21 pit bulls found chained in a field behind a Lynwood residence in the 3500 block of Glenwood-Dyer Road.

Lynwood Police Chief Russell Pearson said the charges were upgraded after a search warrant -- executed May 20 at Starks' Sauk Village home -- turned up additional paraphernalia and paperwork associated with dogfighting. Investigators also seized one dog, Pearson said.

"(The search warrant) provided evidence to link him closer to dogfighting," Pearson said.

The initial May 12 seizure came after investigators -- acting on a tip -- found 21 dogs chained in a field behind a Lynwood home, Pearson said.

Fifteen of the dogs were about 200 yards from the road and secured with short, heavy chains in a horse pasture, police said. The dogs had no food or water within reach but appeared healthy, police said.

About 100 yards to the southwest, police found six more dogs and a vehicle that contained newsletters and photos associated with dogfighting, Pearson said. While searching the area, investigators found a breeding rack and a contraption that can be used to strengthen a dog's jaw, he said.

Police then arrested Starks after he returned home to find Lynwood police officers, officials from the Cook County Sheriff's Department and the Cook County Animal Control Department on the property, police said.

Starks, who was free on bond, had been scheduled to appear for a June 11 hearing in Cook County Court in Markham on 21 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and 21 counts of misdemeanor animal neglect.

A bond hearing in Cook County court was scheduled for today, Pearson said.
Source: NWI.Com - May 30, 2008
Update posted on Jun 3, 2008 - 12:46PM 
Several dogs seized during a dogfighting bust weeks ago in Lynwood are being evaluated for possible adoption at shelters in Chicago Ridge and Chicago Heights, police said Thursday afternoon.

Harry Starks, 42, of Sauk Village, has been charged with 21 counts of felony dogfighting and was expected to turn himself in to Lynwood police Thursday afternoon, Police Chief Russell Pearson said.

Pearson said about 16 animals were taken to the Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge, and five were taken to the South Suburban Humane Society in Chicago Heights.

Head of abuse investigations Phyllis Piunti said four out of the five dogs taken to Chicago Heights had to be euthanized because they were "extremely aggressive."

A receptionist at the Animal Welfare League said information about the dogs couldn't be released, citing the ongoing investigation and the animals' custodial status.

During a raid May 12 at Starks' farm, 150 yards off-road near 3575 Glenwood- Dyer Road, police said they discovered a "barbaric" scene.

The farm had two distinct sets of holding areas for dogs, who were chained-down inside tiny wooden houses just out of reach of one another.

When police arrived, one dog needed to be sedated because it was out of control, Pearson said, but the rest of the dogs weren't a threat to humans and were described as being, "scared."

The dogs didn't appear starved or water-deprived, but there was no food or water readily available, Pearson said.

Pearson said some of the older dogs confiscated had visible scars and injuries, while younger ones, who may not have been involved in heavy fighting yet, weren't visibly hurt.

After the initial raid of the farm, police executed a search warrant May 20 on the Sauk Village residence of Starks.

This investigation yielded additional evidence including documents, a forced breeding rack and dogfighting newsletters that caused the charges to be upgraded from neglect and cruelty to felony dogfighting, police said.

Pearson said he was "disappointed" that the dogs were able to be held on the farm for what looked like a long period of time in earshot of several trucking businesses, none of which reported anything unusual to police.

The raid was done by a joint force of Lynwood, Sauk Village and Cook County police and was based on a tip from a passerby.

Pearson said Starks is denying involvement in dogfighting and claims he was breeding the dogs.
Source: Southtown Star - May 30, 2008
Update posted on May 30, 2008 - 1:56PM 

References


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Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

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