Case Details
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Case ID: 15712
Classification: Fighting, Mutilation/Torture
Animal: dog (pit-bull)
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Dog-fighting - 9 dogs seized
Hopkins Park, IL (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Aug 8, 2009
County: Kankakee

Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA, Felony Non-CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 2 files available

Alleged:
» Deitrick Dunigan
» Ronald Patton
» Dextin Bryant
» Darren Grier
» Markeese Lews
» Kenneth Riley
» Larue Jackson

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Nine dogs were recovered and three men were arrested in a late Saturday dogfighting bust in Kankakee County in which police discovered a blood-stained electrocution shed for dogs unfortunate enough to lose a fight, authorities said.

A multi-jurisdictional task force of Cook County Sheriff’s police, Chicago Police, Illinois State Police and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture conducted the bust in an unincorporated area of Kankakee County near Hopkins Park about 11:15 p.m., according to Chicago police Animal Crimes Team Sgt. Mark George.

Authorities learned a dogfighting match would take place on the farm and executed a search warrant, utilizing both Cook County Sheriff's police and Illinois State Police S.W.A.T. teams, George said.

Although the dogfighting was said to occur in a shed, police discovered the dogfighting outdoors due to the steamy weather conditions, George said.

More than 20 people fled to nearby woods when they spotted police, but six were immediately pulled out of the woods, Geroge said. Another person fled but was later apprehended.

The main target of the search warrant, Deitrick Dunigan, of Chicago, was charged with felony dog fighting. Another man was charged with a felony offense for bringing his 5-year-old daughter to the dog fight, George said.

A third person was charged with a felony charge of obstruction of justice.

Four other people received misdemeanor citations for attending a dog fight.

A total of nine dogs were found at the site and at least one looked severely beaten, according to George. Authorities also discovered an execution shed with battery cables inside which was apparently used to kill dogs that lost fights, George said.

A law enforcement source said the shed was “a bloody mess.”

Dunigan, a known West Side gang member, was also the subject of a warrant issued in February in Harvey in which police recovered six dogs in a dogfighting ring, George said.

Authorities also recovered more than $20,000 from the dogfighting operation, including inside the shed, George said.

All those arrested were being processed by Illinois State Police, George said.


Case Updates

According to reports, Sheriff Tom Dart says he's seen kids at dog fights, and even a pregnant woman. But something happened this weekend that was unusual. The sheriff's office says seven people were arrested in connection with this dog fight, including 50-year-old Ronald Patton of Chicago, who allegedly brought his five year old daughter to the fight.

A pit bull with sad eyes and a scarred face sat in a cage Tuesday. Next door, was a tail-wagging dog. The next cage over was another dog with a sad face.

"You look in their eyes and they have that bewildered look, like, 'What did I do wrong?' And that's what's so sad," said Linda Estrada, director and president of Animal Welfare League.

Estrada says these dogs were used in dog fights and they've got the scars to prove it.

One has gashes all over his face; one is lying motionless on a blanket with visible neck injuries.

"It's not the animals who are bad, it's the people," Estrada said.

The Cook County sheriff's office says nine dogs were rescued from a dog fight over the weekend. The sheriff says it took place on a remote farm, and dogfighters came all the way from Chicago to take part.

"This was a high stakes one. We were estimating the purse for the final champion was going to be $20,000 to $30,000," Dart said.

Sheriff Dart says that's unusually high. Sadly, not so unusual, he says, was the fact that one man brought his 5-year-old daughter to watch these dogs tear each other apart.

"Do you know how many children watch dogfighting?" Estrada said. "If a child can watch it, what are they going to grow up to be?"

Estrada says these dogs will have to be rehabilitated and re-socialized, which involves lots of love and attention. If they can't be rehabilitated, they'll have to be put to sleep.

"Their life will be lost because of these idiots, and for money," Estrada said.
Source: CBS2Chicago.com - Aug 12, 2009
Update posted on Aug 13, 2009 - 3:27PM 
Dogfighting hurts more animals than just those in the ring. Nine dogs were rescued from a dogfight this weekend. Many of them still show the scars they got in the brutal activity. CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports with the other dog that was also injured.

A German shepherd, Cook County sheriff's police dog was not only attacked by a pit bull as officers broke up the dogfight, but his handler was attacked as well.

Nine injured fighting dogs were rescued Saturday night when sheriff's police broke up a major dogfight in progress in Kankakee County. But one dog that got injured came there as a peacemaker.

Meet Max, a 5-year-old sheriff's police dog whose right ear was mauled by a pit bull that got loose as officers made arrests.

"At first, the dog was not aggressive but he came up to my dog, and as I tried to break them apart, the dog latched on to my dog's right ear and bit down, and would not let go," said Sgt. Erik Roedel, Cook County Sheriff's Police.

The pit bull badly mangled Max's ear, as Sgt. Roedel tried to save him.

"I tried to pry the dog's jaws open. That did not work. We tried numerous other ways to get the dog off. We were unable to get it off, so eventually I put the dog into a choke hold and basically choked the dog off my dog until he released," Roedel said.

The pit bull then turned on Sgt. Roedel.

"After I got the dog off my dog, the dog struggled out of my hold and latched onto my arm," he said.

And Sgt. Roedel has the puncture wounds to prove it. With Max already free, other officers finally Tasered the pit bull to end the attack.

"The actual purse of the money that was involved for individuals fighting the dogs was $20,000 to $30,000," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.

And among the seven arrested for forcing these dogs to fight was one man who was charged with bringing his 5-year-old daughter to witness the violence.

"This is becoming too normal for too many people where not only do they not see it as a criminal activity, but it's more of a social event," Dart said.

As for Max, he needed 20 stitches to close his wounds, and he should recover fully, but the danger of possible infection remains.

"Otherwise, they may have to take part of his ear off if the wound does not heal correct," Roedel said.

Cook County sheriff's police have conducted many dogfighting raids the past few years. This is the first time either an officer or police dog have been injured.

The canine unit was taken to the dogfight that day to help make sure that people running from the scene didn't escape.
Source: CBS2Chicago.com - Aug 12, 2009
Update posted on Aug 13, 2009 - 1:31PM 
Police broke up a dogfighting operation Saturday night in Kankakee County, leading to the arrests of seven people, including a man who brought his 5-year-old child to a fight, authorities said this morning.

A multijurisdictional task force -- consisting of members of the Cook County sheriff's police, Chicago police, Illinois State Police and the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- went to a farm in Hopkins Park at about 11:15 p.m. and recovered nine dogs, some of which were scarred and emaciated, authorities said.

Attendees of the fight saw members of the task force, who executed a Cook County sheriff's police search warrant on the property, and ran away, authorities said. "As soon as they saw [squad cars] on the property, they were off to the races," according to a law enforcement official who was involved in the investigation.

Among those arrested was Ronald Patton, 50, of Chicago; Patton was charged with bringing a child -- allegedly his 5-year-old daughter -- to a dog fight, a felony, according to a statement from the Cook County sheriff's police.

The target of the seatch warrant, Deitrick Dunnigan, 28, of Harvey, was charged with felony dog fighting, authorities said. They described Dunnigan as someone known to arrange dogfighting events.

Dextin Bryant, 20, of Chicago, was charged with obstruction of justice, a misdemeanor. Charged with misdemeanors for allegedly attending the dog fight were Darren Grier, 28, of Bloomington, and Markeese Lews, 23, Kenneth Riley, 38, Larue Jackson, 50, all from Chicago, authorities said.

One man was found with $2,500 in his possession when he was arrested, authorities said. Patton had $5,000 on him, they said.

Another $12,000 was found stashed in what was believed to be an "execution chamber" for dogs that would lose fights, authorities said. The chamber consisted of jumper cables connected to a battery, they said.

During the arrest, one dog got free and attacked a Cook County sheriff's police officer and his police dog, according to the sheriff's statement. Both the officer and the dog were treated and released.

They also said a dead dog was found not far from the property, but it's unclear if that animal is connected to the dogfighting operation.

The nine surviving dogs were being evaluated by animal welfare officials this morning.

Hopkins Park is about 66 miles south of Chicago.
Source: Chicagobreakingnews.com - Aug 9, 2009
Update posted on Aug 10, 2009 - 9:53PM 

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