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Case ID: 18303

Classification: Fighting

Animal: dog (pit-bull)

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Dog-fighting - 20 dogs seized
Gary, IN (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Jul 7, 2011
County: Lake

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 3 files available

Alleged:
» Brandon J. Peterson
» Sammie E. Jones
» Clifton Harris
» Willie L. Hargrove

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

The garage at 951 Willard St. was empty Thursday morning, but police say the blood on the walls and carpet show how the cement-block structure was used for dogfights.

Four people were arrested in connection with those fights as local police and the Humane Society rescued about 20 dogs from another house, some with fresh wounds.

Gary residents Clifton Harris, 49; Brandon J. Peterson, 26; Sammie J. Jones, 28, and Willie C. Hargrove, 52, were arrested on charges of promoting dogfighting.

Lake County Sheriff John Buncich said his department received an anonymous tip a few weeks ago about dogfighting and possible drugs. With the help of the Humane Society, they served a warrant at 968 Willard St., several houses down from where the fighting took place, and discovered Harris, Peterson and Jones, although the man they were looking for was not there. Hargrove, who owns the garage where officials say the fighting took place, was arrested shortly after.

Buncich said dog bones and carcasses were also found in another nearby garage.

"The house is deplorable," the sheriff said, adding that feces were found inside.

Inside Hargrove's garage, four plain wooden doors stood on their long edges, propped up by a microwave and a small cabinet, to create the fighting ring along the cinder block walls, Lake County Detective Michelle Weaver said.

"It's pretty make-shift," she said.

Two sticks lying on the ground likely were used to pry the dogs' jaws apart when they were locked in battle so the dogs would keep fighting, Weaver said.

One dog was chained up outside the garage, still sporting an ear injury. Buncich said another one had a hole in its face from fighting.

Rib bones could be seen on one of the female dogs that appeared to have been nursing.

Weaver said officials don't know how long the fighting was going on but evidence indicated it wasn't new. Officials found several puppies, young enough to be held in one hand, among the dogs.

Humane Society workers led the dogs to tables set up on the street for medical evaluations. Plastic bags, dog treats and clean towels covered the tables.

Chris Schindler, manager of animal fighting investigations for the Humane Society of the United States, said the dogs were being taken to an undisclosed location so no one could steal them back for fighting.

"(The dogs) are worth money to them," Schindler said.

Each dog will be evaluated, he said, but the Humane Society has a high success rate of working with other groups to find homes for most of the dogs the agency rescues. Most dogs rescued from dogfighting rings don't have aggression toward humans, he said. Most of the dogs at the Willard Street house were calm as they were checked out by the Humane Society.

"A lot of the dogs are really sweet and friendly," Schindler said.

He added that every time officials can bring down a dogfighting ring, it has ripple effects and that this one will help deter others.

"I am grateful to Sheriff Buncich and the Lake County Sheriff's Department for their efforts today to make our streets safer," state Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, said. "Clearly dogfighting is an issue in Indiana, and it is imperative that the legislature take action to strengthen our laws"

The Animal Rescue Team was assisted by while they are being held as evidence. Other participating groups included the ,

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