Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | E. Paul Jones |
Dog-fighting - 45 dogs seized from 2 locations
Roanoke, AL (US)Incident Date: Monday, Jun 1, 2009
County: Randolph
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» William Alsabrook - Convicted
» Artis Kyles
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
National animal welfare organizations and representatives of various law enforcement agencies conducted two raids Monday, confiscating a total of 45 American Pit Bulldog Terriers.
Aris Murphy, investigator with Fifth Judicial District Attorney E. Paul Jones' office, said they hit both locations at the same time, one outside Roanoke, the other in Newell.
The multi-agency group was assisted by the Humane Society of the United States and The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
These two welfare organizations brought their air-conditioned vehicles to examine and house the dogs. After ASPCA veterinarian Melinda Merck examined each dog to gather evidence for trial and to determine what treatment was needed. HSUS, ASPCA workers and law enforcement placed each dog in a pen in the air-conditioned, 40-foot long trailer.
Murphy, a long-time veteran of law enforcement before moving to the DA's office, said they arrested Artis Kyles, 34, of 2222 Louina Road on possession/training of fighting dogs. Along with confiscation of the dogs they found a couple of handguns, digital scales, crack cocaine and steroids, used in shots to build up the animals' muscles. This is expected to lead to other charges.
At the second location outside of Wedowee, in the Newell community, they arrested William Alsabrook, 54, of 110 County Road 246 and confiscated 25 dogs.
At the location just outside Roanoke city limit there was no indication from the road or in the backyard that in the trees behind the house 20 dogs were staked on short lines. They seemed to enjoy the human contact as they were held and petted as they were methodically processed.
Among those working on this project along with the DA's office investigators were Roanoke Police, Randolph County Sheriff's Department, some people from Montgomery and New Site Police Chief John McKelvey. A tip was called in to the national office of HSUS and people there learned assorted law enforcement here were looking at the same people. They joined forces for an approximately six-week long investigation.
For more details, see the June 3rd edition of The Randolph Leader.
Case UpdatesJune 23 William Alsabrook pleaded guilty in Randolph County Circuit Court to five counts of cruelty to animals second degree and one count of resisting arrest, but some people are questioning the sentence in the high-profile case.
Alsabrook, 54, of 110 County Road 246, was believed to be breeding dogs for dogfighting in his Newell dog breeding operation. Animal lovers were not only concerned about what they considered a light sentence of six years suspended but the possibility of the American Pit Bull Terriers confiscated being euthanized.
However, Mindy Gilbert, Alabama state director of the Humane Society of the United States, said the only chance the dogs have in that world is to not be man's best friend, to be in a pit fighting, to be used cruelly for financial gain.
But last Wednesday the dogs that Alsabrook had surrendered were being evaluated, and groups with a good reputation from another state were accepting some of them.
"I do know some of them have been selected and are leaving the state today," Gilbert said of the dogs. They are going to be in some very intense programs and a strong effort will be made to eventually place them in homes where they will be safe and loved.
They are trained to attack and kill other animals, she said. There have been instances where small animals have been used to train them so retraining is imperative.
People do not understand there is a big difference between killing them in a violent death and euthanizing them. Euthanize is a Greek word meaning good death, she said. Animals cruelly mistreated, taken into this underground world where they are hideously and horribly treated are not good candidates for adoption, she said.
The plea was the result of plea negotiations between the defendant and his attorney, Tom Radney Jr., and Assistant District Attorney Amy Newsome.
According to District Attorney E. Paul Jones, Newsome had been intimately involved in the case from the beginning.
"Amy worked with the task force, the officers involved and the Humane Society of the United States throughout the entire case," said Jones. "She consulted with them during the whole procedure, including the plea agreement. I have absolute confidence in her having done the right thing in this case. Among other things, Amy has animals of her own, and I know the tremendous amount of time and attention she devotes to her own animals. She certainly took into consideration the best interests of the animals and the public in reaching this plea agreement."
Jones said one key consideration was the disposition of the animals. If the state had elected to pursue a felony case, it would have been at least a year before the case could have been completed. In the meantime, the court would have been required to either destroy the dogs, or they would have been boarded at the expense of the taxpayers.
"Under Alabama's sentencing guidelines, the possibility of Alsabrook serving even one day in prison with a felony conviction is zero," Jones said. "It had already cost $12,000 for treatment and housing of the animals for the first month. All things considered, the plea was in the best interest of everyone." | Source: The Randolph Ledger - Jul 8, 2009
Update posted on Jul 9, 2009 - 12:47PM |
William Alsabrook pleaded guilty Tuesday to five counts of cruelty to animals and one count of resisting arrest in a case involving a multi-agency investigation of his Newell dog breeding operation.
Representatives of the Humane Society of the United States believe he was selling the dogs to people and organizations that were using them in dogfighting. Court testimony in the preliminary hearing was that when a dog was purchased undercover Alsabrook bragged on its fighting potential.
Fifth Judicial District Attorney E. Paul Jones said: "We're happy with the plea and that he recognized the wrongdoing of the activity he was engaged in. He saved the taxpayers and the state of Alabama the expense and time of coming to trial."
Fifth Judicial Circuit Judge Steve Perryman sentenced Alsabrook to 12 months on each count to run consecutively, which would be a six-year sentence, but suspended the sentence. He ordered him to serve 30 days of community service, which could be anything from working at the Randolph County Animal Shelter to picking up trash.
He was ordered to pay a $400 fine on each count and court costs on each count. Alsabrook, 54, of 110 County Road 246, according to court testimony in his preliminary hearing, has been breeding and selling dogs since the 1970s. He surrendered all of his 25 dogs seized. Some have said American Pit Bulldog Terriers can be sold for as much as $1,000 each.
He surrendered everything else seized in the raid except for his firearms, which will be returned to him, Assistant District Attorney Amy Newsome said.
The fate of the dogs in the custody of HSUS is unknown but so far no organization or sanctuary that could house and possibly rehabilitate them has stepped up.
District Judge Patrick Whaley has not yet ruled on how they will be disposed of eventually.
The dogs are believed to have come from dog fighting breeding lines, which greatly affects the possibility of their adoption. Also, they must be kept out of the hands of people who may abuse them.
HSUS, the district attorney's investigators, Roanoke Police, Randolph County Sheriff's Department, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and New Site Police Chief John McKelvey worked on the case. | Source: The Randolph Leader - Jun 24, 2009
Update posted on Jun 25, 2009 - 11:14AM |
A judge decided Tuesday that a Randolph County grand jury will consider charges against William Alsabrook, accused of training dogs to fight.
Alsabrook, 54, was arrested June 1 when officials raided his home in Newell, confiscating 20 American pit bulls and charging him with harboring dogs for fighting purposes, a felony that carries a one-to 10-year sentence.
Alsabrook's attorney, Thomas Radney, said his client vehemently denies any wrongdoing and that he has always taken care of his dogs. Radney said he thinks it's ironic that Alsabrook would be facing felony charges for allegedly hurting his dogs while the government at the same time is considering whether to euthanize them.
Artis Kyles, 34, also was charged with harboring dogs for fighting purposes after county law-enforcement officers raided his Roanoke home on the same day and confiscated 25 pit bulls.
Kyles also faces charges of possession of steroids, possession of crack cocaine and felony possession of a firearm, but Fifth Judicial Circuit District Attorney E. Paul Jones said he's not sure when Kyles will go to court.
Radney said his client knows Kyles, but the two are no more than acquaintances.
" They don't have any connection," he said.
Jones said Alsabrook's case will come before a grand jury in midAugust.
The U.S. Humane Society has possession of the dogs while the court determines their fate.
Jones said authorities believe the two men are part of a bigger dogfighting operation outside of his judicial circuit, which includes Randolph, Chambers, Tallapoosa and Macon counties. | Source: The Anniston Star - Jun 18, 2009
Update posted on Jun 24, 2009 - 10:34PM |
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