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Case #15810 Rating: 2.6 out of 5
Dog-fighting - 5 dogs seized
Lynchburg, VA (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Sep 19, 2009
County: Bedford
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 2 files available
Defendant/Suspect: William Travis Williams
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office says its officers have arrested a North Carolina man on dog fighting charges, after an undercover investigation.
Investigators tell us they seized five pit-bull dogs in cages from the Best Western Motel in Bedford on Sunday, September 19th. Deputies believe the dogs were brought to Virginia for dog fights in Central Virginia and West Virginia. Among the dogs seized were “Rowdy,“ who investigators describe as a two-time champion, and his girlfriend “Mercedes.“
Officers arrested 25-year-old William Travis Williams, from Marshal, N.C., after deputies say Williams received $6,500 for transporting and selling the five dogs to undercover agents. The agents were disguised as “dog fight coordinators” from Central Virginia, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Williams is charged under a new felony law that makes it illegal to transport, own, train, or sell animals in Virginia for the purpose of fighting with another animal.
If convicted, Williams could face up to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Investigators took the seized dogs to the Bedford County Animal Shelter. Officers also say the investigation is still going on, and additional arrested are anticipated.
The Sheriff’s Office says it worked with the Humane Society of the United States on the seizure.
Case UpdatesA North Carolina man will not serve jail time, after pleading guilty to dogfighting charges in Bedford County.
William Williams, 26, was sentenced Tuesday to three years, but with all the time suspended.
He'll have to pay a $1,000 fine and serve 100 hours of community service.
Williams met with an undercover officer last year at a motel in Bedford, and agreed to sell him five pit bulls to be used in dogfighting. | Source: wset.com - Nov 2, 2010
Update posted on Dec 3, 2010 - 4:07PM |
A North Carolina man who sold five pit bulls to a Bedford County investigator during an undercover sting pleaded guilty Thursday to promoting dogfighting.
Some of the dogs bore signs of wounds from previous fights, according to prosecutors.
William Williams, 25, of Marshall, N.C., faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced Aug. 31.
In Bedford County Circuit Court on Thursday, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Mark Robinette said investigators snared Williams during an investigation into dogfighting when an informant told them he had seen an ad for fighting dogs posted on an online message board.
An investigator had several phone conversations with Williams, who had apparently posted the ad, to arrange the purchase of the pit bulls -- one of which Williams said had won two matches, Robinette told Circuit Court Judge James Updike.
On Sept. 19, Williams met with an officer at a motel in Bedford. The officer, posing as a dogfight coordinator, agreed to buy all five pit bulls, which Williams hawked as fighting dogs.
"Some of the dogs," Robinette said, "had scars around their heads which indicated involvement in prior fights."
When the officer gave Williams the agreed-upon $6,500 for the dogs, other officers moved in and arrested Williams.
He is free on bond while he awaits sentencing. The dogs were turned over to the Bedford County Animal Shelter. | Source: Roanoke.com - June 2, 2010
Update posted on Jun 2, 2010 - 6:01PM |
Five pit bulls seized in a Bedford County dog fighting sting are recovering. On Saturday, undercover agents took them from William Travis Williams of Marshal, North Carolina.
They say Williams does not have a prior record of dog fighting charges. Investigators found him online trying to sell his pit bulls for dog fighting.
Now those dogs are getting help, some more than others.
Scott Polinek at the Bedford County Animal Shelter doesn't get many fighting dogs in his animal shelter.
“It's sick, sick. Why would somebody treat anything like that. Human, animal, anything," Polinek said.
The operations manager at the Bedford County Animal Shelter is happy these five pit bulls are under his care. "They'll stay here and we'll give them the best treatment that they can," Polinek said.
They'll need it. Polinek says two of the dogs are malnourished, so they're getting wet food to help hide their bones. One won't even get out of its bed, the other just stares at the floor.
Both have to be treated for what Polinek calls pressure wounds. "That would be from basically lying down too much, maybe being restricted in a kennel."
Polinek says blue paint on one dog might be an antiseptic used to treat open wounds. The other three pitbulls look healthy, and
Capt. Mike Miller says it's a shame they'd be used for fighting. "Those animals have no choice. They're trained to do that. The animal is not bred to conduct fights only. It's a pet," he said.
Investigators say Williams sold the dogs for $6,500 to agents posing as dog-fight coordinators. Miller wants to keep cracking down on dog fighting. "For someone to train an animal to go into a pen and fight for its life over and over, hopefully that it gets more than one fight. That's a sick individual," Miller said.
Williams is out on bond. The sheriff's office says he could face one to five years in prison if convicted. He'll be in court on October 15th.
As for those pit bulls, the animal shelter says they are not available for adoption, but that's pending a court decision. | Source: WSET.om - Sep 22, 2009
Update posted on Sep 24, 2009 - 5:24PM |
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