Case Details
Share:

Case Snapshot
Case ID: 16277
Classification: Fighting, Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: dog (pit-bull)
More cases in Benton County, OR
More cases in OR
« Back to Search Results
Login to Watch this Case

Attorneys/Judges
Prosecutor(s): Chris Stringer
Defense(s): Clark Willes
Judge(s): Locke Williams


For more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.


CONVICTED: Was justice served?

Please vote on whether or not you feel the sentence in this case was appropriate for the crime. (Be sure to read the entire case and sentencing before voting.)

weak sentence = one star
strong sentence = 5 stars

more information on voting

When you vote, you are voting on whether or not the punishment fit the crime, NOT on the severity of the case itself. If you feel the sentence was very weak, you would vote 1 star. If you feel the sentence was very strong, you would vote 5 stars.

Please vote honestly and realistically. These ratings will be used a a tool for many future programs, including a "People’s Choice" of best and worst sentencing, DA and judge "report cards", and more. Try to resist the temptation to vote 1 star on every case, even if you feel that 100 years in prison isn’t enough.

  • Currently 5.00/5

Case #16277 Rating: 5.0 out of 5



Dog-fighting - 15 dogs seized
Alsea, OR (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Mar 18, 2010
County: Benton

Charges: Felony CTA, Felony Non-CTA
Disposition: Convicted

Defendants/Suspects:
» Cody Allen Hufeld
» Victoria Louise McKenna
» Charles Dylan Newquist

Case Updates: 5 update(s) available

Police in Corvallis served a search warrant March 17 in connection to an organized criminal marijuana distribution network, but they found a whole lot more than that.

The joint Street Crimes Unit (SCU) made up of investigators from both the Benton County Sheriff's Office and the Corvallis Police Department, along with additional Corvallis Police Officers and Benton County Sheriff's Deputies served search warrants at 1024 NW Fillmore Apt. No. 1 and 5246 SW Technology Loop, both addresses in Corvallis. About 14 pounds of packaged marijuana were seized, along with cash and distribution materials. Cody Hufeld, 32, Victoria McKenna, 29, and Charles Newquest, 28, were all arrested.

During the service of the search warrants, information was developed leading the SCU investigators to seek additional search warrants related to crimes of dog fighting and possession of dog fighting paraphernalia -- both of which are felonies.

On March 18, the joint Street Crimes Unit served a search warrant at 19365 South Fork Road in Alsea. Police found 15 dogs believed to be pit bulls, of which some have injuries consistent with dogs that have been used for dog fighting. It is unknown at this time, if any dog fighting events occurred at this location in Benton County. Also seized was additional evidence consistent with training and breeding dogs to fight.

The 15 dogs were seized by police and their health and injuries are being evaluated for treatment and rehabilitation at the Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis.

Hufeld was arrested on one count each of the following charges and lodged in the Benton County Correctional Facility with $150,000 bail:

•Unlawful Deliver of Marijuana for Consideration (a Class B felony)
•Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana for Consideration (Class B felony)
•Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana -- Substantial Quantity (Class B felony)
•Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana for Consideration -- Substantial Quantity (Class B felony)

McKenna was arrested on one count each of the following charges and lodged in the Benton County Correctional Facility with $150,000 bail:

•Unlawful Deliver of Marijuana for Consideration (Class B felony)
•Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana for Consideration (Class B felony)
•Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana -- Substantial Quantity (Class B felony)
•Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana for Consideration -- Substantial Quantity (Class B felony)

Newquist was arrested on two counts each of the following charges and lodged in the Benton County Correctional Facility with $95,000 bail:

•Two counts each of the following charges:
•Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana, (Class B felony)
•Possession of Weapons by Certain Felons (felony)

The investigation is on-going and police expect to file additional criminal charges.


Case Updates

The second defendant facing dog-fighting charges pleaded guilty to a drug charge Wednesday, but Victoria Louise McKenna maintained that she did not know about any dog-fighting activities.

McKenna, 29, was sentenced to 18 months in prison Wednesday morning after she pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to deliver marijuana as the result of a plea agreement between the prosecution and the defense.

McKenna was arrested March 17 along with Cody Hufeld, 32, and Charles Dylan Newquist, 28, both of Corvallis, as part of a drug investigation by the Street Crimes Unit.

About 13 pounds of packaged marijuana were found at McKenna's Corvallis residence.

The next day, after questioning those arrested, law enforcement searched property at 19365 South Fork Road near Alsea. They found 15 injured and neglected pit bulls chained to stakes in the ground. The bodies of three other pitbulls were buried on the property.

Some of the wounds were consistent with dog fighting, and the Benton County Sheriff's Office began investigating whether the animals had been part of a dog-fighting enterprise.

Benton County Sheriff Diana Simpson said a few days before the drug warrant was executed, a deputy saw at least one dog at the Alsea property and could hear many more. Suspicious, he checked the license plate of a truck he saw leaving the property. The truck turned out to belong to a subject of a Street Crimes investigation - Hufeld.

The search warrant for the drug investigation turned up dog-fighting publications and bookkeeping records that indicated dogs were being trained or fought, Simpson said. That information was enough to get a warrant for the Alsea property.

McKenna's attorney, Clark Willes, said his client admitted being involved with the marijuana sales but knew nothing of dog fighting. She went to North Carolina and brought back a dog for breeding.

"She had no idea there would be a possibility of dog fighting," Willes said.

Chief Benton County Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer told Judge Locke Williams that McKenna, who had no prior criminal convictions, was one of several people drawn into Hufeld's "criminal lifestyle."

McKenna was a "lieutenant" for Hufeld, selling marijuana to local dealers, Stringer said.

Stringer said the state believes McKenna acted in an "aiding and abetting" role with regard to the dog fighting, noting she was on the lease of the Alsea property. She also went to North Carolina to purchase a pit bull from Ed Faron, known as the "godfather of dog fighting."

McKenna did not speak in court.

"I do find it kind of hard to believe that you didn't know what was going on with these pit bull dogs," Judge Williams said.

The physical condition of the dogs when they were seized, he added, indicated they were being trained to fight.

"It went beyond training or breeding," he said.

The dogs, many of which had injuries and other health problems, were taken to Heartland Humane Society. Nine of the 15 dogs seized were put down because they were deemed to be too aggressive or had severe health problems - or both. The others were sent to undisclosed rescue groups.

McKenna will forfeit any dog-fighting paraphernalia and drugs, as well as computers or phones connected to the case. She will receive credit for time served, leaving her prison sentence at about 15 months. She can get time off her sentence for good behavior and will have three years of post-prison supervision.

On May 28, Hufeld was sentenced to 41 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy to deliver marijuana and no contest to dog fighting. He maintained that he just wanted to breed the dogs for sale.
Source: gazette-times.com - Jun 10, 2010
Update posted on Jun 11, 2010 - 4:14PM 
The Alsea man convicted of running a dog fighting ring will spend close to three and a half years in jail.

Cody Hufeld pleaded no contest to the dog fighting charges, while pleading guilty to conspiracy of delivering marijuana.
Source: kezi.com - May 28, 2010
Update posted on Jun 9, 2010 - 3:27PM 
One of three defendents accused in a dog fighting and drug dealing ring out of Alsea says he's innocent.

Cody Hufeld pleaded not guilty to numerous charges including 15 counts of dog fighting, unlawful delivery and manufacturing of marijauna, and possession of dogfighting paraphernalia.

Hufeld is being held at the Benton County Jail. His bail is set at $850,000.

The state alleges the 15 dogs were particularly vulnernable to death after three of their companions were found dead in the back of the Alsea property.

The surviving dogs are still at the Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis. They will remain there until the fate of the defendants are determined.

The case is set to go to trial on May 17th.
Source: kezi.com - Mar 31, 2010
Update posted on Apr 5, 2010 - 1:24PM 
Two of the people arrested in a drug bust that led to the discovery of a suspected dogfighting operation in Alsea face additional charges.

Corvallis residents Cody Allen Hufeld, 32, Victoria Louise McKenna, 29, and Charles Dylan Newquist, 28, were arrested March 17 following a drug investigation, which quickly led to evidence of a dogfighting ring.

Investigators found 15 pit bulls -- some with injuries -- chained to stakes in the ground on property at 19365 South Fork Road near Alsea.

They rescued those dogs, as well as a dog from the initial arrest in Corvallis that reportedly was a pet. They also found and removed the bodies of three other dogs at the Alsea property.

Investigators believe the Alsea rental property was used to train the dogs for fighting.

McKenna, who has been indicted on multiple charges of unlawful delivery of marijuana and conspiracy to commit unlawful delivery of marijuana, was arraigned Wednesday on the new charges: 15 counts of dogfighting and one count of possession of a controlled substance.

The prosecution has alleged that there are aggravating factors present in the dogfighting charges: a likelihood that the dogs would die, based on the dead dogs found on the property, and that the dogfighting was part of an organized criminal operation.

McKenna has entered not guilty pleas to all 23 felony charges against her.

Tuesday, her court-appointed attorney, Clark Willes, made a motion to recuse Judge David Connell. Judge Locke Williams has been assigned to her case.

Hufeld, who was charged last week with 15 counts of dogfighting and three counts of possessing dogfighting paraphernalia, faces a new charge of attempted manufacture of a controlled substance (marijuana).

Lt. Tim Brewer, who oversees the Street Crimes Unit, said the new charge stems from the discovery of marijuana-growing equipment found at the Alsea property, which Hufeld rented.

“He had basically all the parts there he needed to start an indoor marijuana grow,” Brewer said.

The Street Crimes Unit seized about 14 pounds of marijuana while serving search warrants at two Corvallis addresses March 17. McKenna, Hufeld and Newquist were arrested then.

Hufeld and McKenna are both in the Benton County Jail. Hufeld’s bail is $850,000; McKenna’s is $775,000.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer has advised the court that he will be making a motion to consolidate the cases against Hufeld and McKenna, so both would be tried at the same time.

Newquist faces two counts of conspiracy to deliver marijuana and two counts of being a felon in possession of a weapon. His bail is $45,000.
Source: Gazette-Times.com - Mar 25, 2010
Update posted on Mar 25, 2010 - 2:15PM 
Benton County Sheriff's deputies found 15 malnourished pit bulls with old scars or fresh wounds last week, providing a glimpse into dogfighting rings in the area.

The Corvallis Gazette Times reports deputies also found three dead dogs buried under trees in a 6-acre property in Alsea.

"They were being prepared for organized dogfighting," said Lt. Greg Ridler of the Benton County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities say dogfighting is fueled by drugs and gambling, and often leaves the dogs dead, maimed or too traumatized to be safely adopted.

Police say one man was arrested in connection to dogfighting. Corvallis resident Cody Hufeld was arraigned Friday on 15 felony counts of dogfighting, and three felony counts of possessing dogfighting paraphernalia, including heavy collars used for strength training. Hufeld also faces drug charges with two other people.

Benton County Sheriff Diana Simpson said the absence of a fighting pit at the Alsea property suggests that the dogs were being transported elsewhere for the fighting. "We'll continue to investigate and see if others were involved, see where it leads," Simpson said Thursday.

Scott Heiser, a former Benton County district attorney who is now a senior staff attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund, said dog fighting is present in every state, and can make dog handlers rich from gambling or stud fees.

"Dogs they don't want anymore, they'll shoot on the spot," Heiser said.

The 15 dogs rescued are at the Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis. All the dogs are kept in separate cages to avoid sight of each other, and agitation. Shelter staff say the dogs are friendly to people, but get aggressive when they see other animals.

"Pit bull rescues are just overrun. There are so many pit bulls that need help. They can be really hard to find placements for," said shelter operations director Brittany Gardner. "We don't know what's going to happen with these guys."
Source: KGW.com - Mar 21, 2010
Update posted on Mar 22, 2010 - 5:06PM 

References

  • « Back to Search Results
    « OR State Animal Cruelty Map
    « More cases in Benton County, OR

    Add to GoogleNot sure what these icons mean? Click here.

    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.

    For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.



    Send this page to a friend
© Copyright 2001-2011 Pet-Abuse.Com. All rights reserved. Site Map ¤ Disclaimer ¤ Privacy Policy