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Case #15831 Rating: 1.4 out of 5
Dog-fighting - 42 dogs seized from 2 properties
Graham, NC (US)Incident Date: Friday, Sep 25, 2009
County: Alamance
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Frank James Hamlett, Jr.
» Tyrone Matkins
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
On Sept. 25, detectives with the Alamance County Sheriff’s Department stopped a 2000 gray Dodge truck on Swepsonville Road and found a total of 67 grams of cocaine.
During a follow-up search at 1468 Moores Chapel Cemetery Road, Graham, the home of Tyrone Matkins, 37, who was a passenger in the truck during the traffic stop, detectives and members of the State Bureau of Investigations found and seized $3,500 in cash, counterfeit money and equipment, including veterinary supplies, related to dog and cock fighting operations, the sheriff’s department said in a release.
They also seized a dog fighting pit and found five dead fowl and 36 dogs throughout the property. Animal control units with Burlington police and the sheriff’s department took control of the dogs, some of which showed signs of dog fighting, the release said.
Investigators then decided to search the home of the property’s owner, Frank James Hamlett Jr., at 1159 Trollingwood Road, Haw River, on Thursday. There, they found documents “consistent with involvement in dog and cock fighting,” a total of 28 pit bulls and “two sets of pit bull puppies,” according to the release.
The department also said that six dogs that had injuries consistent with dog fighting were taken by animal control officers.
Matkins and Hamlett have been charged in connection with the investigation. A third man, Daniel Hosea Moore, of Crawford Road, Graham, who was driving the truck during the traffic stop, faces charges for possession of cocaine and maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for a controlled substance. His bond was set at $1,000.
Matkins, 37, was originally charged with trafficking cocaine by possession; possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine; possession of cocaine; and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was later charged with one count each of misdemeanor cruelty to animals, felony cruelty to animals, instigate cruelty to animals and restraining dogs in a cruel manner. Bond was set at $45,000.
Hamlett, 41, faces four counts of cruelty to animals (misdemeanors and felonies), three counts of dog fighting, two counts of restraining dogs in a cruel manner, and one count each of instigate cruelty to animals, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $50,000.
This is not the first time Hamlett is accused of dog fighting.
In 2005, he was charged with one count of dog fighting after deputies found 29 emaciated pit bull and mixed breed dogs tied up in woods behind his house on Moores Chapel Cemetery Road.
Case UpdatesMonday morning Frank James Hamlett, Jr. appeared in a Alamance County court to admit his guilt in dogfighting case.
Hamlett was charged in October 2009 after a traffic stop by Alamance County deputies. The three people in the car were charged with drugs and animal fighting. At the time of Hamlett's arrest, investigators say they found items and documents that indicated involvement in dog and cockfighting on Hamlett's property in Haw River. They also found 28 pit bulls and 2 sets of pit bull puppies. Animal Control officers took six dogs into custody that had injuries consistent with dog fighting.
Hamlett was charged with cruelty to animals, dog fighting, instigating cruelty to animals, restraining dogs in a cruel manner and possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
Hamlett pleaded guilty to:
-- Misdemeanor restraining dogs in cruel manner
-- Felony cruelty to animals
-- Felony of owning dogs for purpose of dogfighting
He was placed on two years probation.
The judge order that the 33 dogs to be examined by Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). They will determine if any of the dogs are adoptable. | Source: digtriad.com - Mar 11, 2010
Update posted on Mar 19, 2010 - 12:50PM |
Neighbors suspected for years that the property on Moore Chapel Cemetery Road where authorities found dead fowl and seized 36 pit bulls last week was used for dog fighting, according to search warrants.
A confidential source told the Alamance County Sheriff’s Department that there was a recent dog fight at 1468 Moore Chapel Cemetery Road, warrants state.
The sheriff’s department allegedly found evidence of those fights when, on Sept. 26, they searched the property where Tyrone Matkins, 37, lives and that is owned by Frank James Hamlett Jr., 41, of 1159 Trollingwood Road, Haw River. Hamlett and Matkins were charged last week with several counts of cruelty to animals and dog fighting.
A dog fighting pit; a carpet with blood; a break stick, which is used to “disengage two fighting dogs;” a treadmill used in training dogs; and veterinary supplies were all seized from the property, according to the warrant.
Animal control took 36 dogs off the property as well as five dead fowl. The dogs, which were taken to the animal shelter, were assessed by a veterinarian on Sept. 28. Approximately half of the dogs had evidence of fresh or healing wounds, and some showed signs of aggression, according to the warrant.
Extra cages were brought into the animal shelter to accommodate the dogs, and 16 of them are now being housed off site. The dogs that remain at the shelter are all in separate cages that cannot be kept too lose to one another. Tar paper was also put up to keep the dogs from seeing one another.
Authorities also found a book, “The Complete Game Dog” on the couch in the house. The book is about dog breeding and training techniques. It was autographed by the author and said, “To Mac: Best wishes from Wildside Kennels. Ed Faron 3/1/09.”
Faron and two others were charged Dec. 11, 2008 with dog fighting and baiting for their involvement with Wildside Kennels in Wilkes County where 127 dogs were seized from the property. Faron was convicted of dog fighting in February 2009, according to the search warrant.
“According to PetAbuse.com, Faron is considered by some to be one of the top 10 ‘influential figures in the underground dog fighting circuit,’” the warrant states.
The book is available used on Amazon.com. All four copies of the hardcover book that are available cost between $520 and $550.
Hamlett also was charged with dog fighting in the past after Alamance County Sheriff’s deputies found 29 emaciated pit bull and mixed-breed dogs tied up in woods behind his house on Moore Chapel Cemetery Road in August 2005.
Hamlett pleaded guilty to a lesser charge " restraining dogs in a cruel manner " which is a misdemeanor, in March 2007. He was given a 45-day suspended sentence and placed on two years probation. The court allowed him to keep the dogs, and he agreed to allow authorities to search his home and check on the dogs without warrants during that probationary period. His probation would have ended in March of this year.
Deputies also searched Hamlett’s residence on Trollingwood Road in Haw River. At that site, authorities found “items and documents consistent with involvement in dog and cock fighting,” according to a news release. There were 28 pit bulls and two sets of pit bull puppies. Animal control seized six of the dogs because they had injuries that were “consistent with dog fighting,” according the release.
The other dogs were left at the residence because they were not injured.
“Just because the dogs are there doesn’t mean you can seize them,” said Randy Jones, spokesman for the sheriff’s department.
The sheriff’s department’s street crimes unit and the State Bureau of Investigation have been conducting surveillance on Matkins and others since December because Matkins was allegedly dealing narcotics. But the arrests and search warrants were the result of a traffic stop on Sept. 25. Members of the street crimes unit stopped a 2000 Dodge truck on Swepsonville Road near Swepsonville Fire Department. Daniel Hosea Moore, 31, of Crawford Road, Graham was driving the truck. Matkins was a passenger.
A police dog was used and “exhibited a positive alert for the presence of narcotics.” Approximately 64 grams of cocaine was allegedly found in the truck. There also were several dog breeding books, a receipt from the American Dog Breeders Association in Salt Lake City in the glove box and a photograph of pit bulls in the truck.
Moore was charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance and maintaining a vehicle/place/dwelling for a controlled substance. He was placed under $1,000 bond.
Matkins was charged with trafficking cocaine by possession, possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule II controlled substance, possession of a schedule II controlled substance cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of cruelty to animals, two counts of dog fighting, instigate cruelty to animals and restraining dogs in a cruel manner. He was placed under $45,000 bond.
Hamlett was charged with four counts of cruelty to animals, three counts of dog fighting, two counts of restraining dogs in a cruel manner, instigate cruelty to animals, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed under $50,000 bond. | Source: Thetimewsnews.com - Oct 6, 2009
Update posted on Oct 9, 2009 - 12:43PM |
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