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Dog-fighting - 24 dogs seized
Columbia, SC (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 8, 2011
County: Richland

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 2 files available

Alleged:
» Stanley William Taylor, Jr
» Jolisa Denitra Cole
» Santerrio Montinez Smith
» James Earl Green
» Jason Lundees Washington

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Authorities have broken up a large dog-fighting operation in an area of northern Richland County that has drawn scrutiny in the past over drug-dealing and pit-bull fighting.

Acting on a tip, deputies raided a dog fight off Campground Road late Thursday. People watching the fight fled, and some dogs scattered through the wooded area of rolling hills and mobile homes near Monticello Road north of Interstate 20.

Stanley William Taylor Jr., 23, was jailed after being charged with two counts of violating the animal fighting and baiting act.

Deputies spent part of Thursday night and Friday seeking other suspects and rounding up loose dogs, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. Deputies had seized 24 dogs by Friday.

"This was a large-scale dog-fighting operation that we feel has been going on for some time," Lott said Friday.

He said he knows from personal experience that dog-fighting was occurring in the area near Campground Road, but it had been difficult to locate pit-bull fights until the department received Thursday's tip about barking dogs.

During the past five years, Lott said he has found about 15 dead pit bulls on hunting land he owns not far from Campground Road. "These were pit bulls. They were killed either in the dog-fighting, or were unsuccessful (fighters), and were killed by the owners and were just dumped."

Most of the dogs this week seized were pit bulls, the main animals used in dog fights. Lott said the seized dogs were being kept at an undisclosed location as the investigation unfolds.

It's too early to say if gangs or drug-dealers were involved, but he called the operation "very organized."

When authorities arrived at the fight scene Thursday, they found some dogs chained up and others running loose, the sheriff said.

Court records show the Campground Road area has a history of dog-fighting activity.

According to a 2003 federal court transcript, a mobile home on Campground Road was used to receive drugs from Georgia and keep pit bulls bred for sale to dog-fighters. The trailer used by drug-dealers was located just a few lots away from the scene of Thursday's raid, according to the sheriff's department and the court transcript.

The transcript shows that pit bulls kept at the trailer at 656 Campground Road were later hauled off and executed by one of their owners and some friends.

The sheriff's department said dogs were seized this week in the area near 633 Campground Road, sheriff's department spokesman Curtis Wilson said.

Stopping the illegal sport has been a point of emphasis in South Carolina for parts of the past decade.

In the early 2000s, then-Attorney General Henry McMaster prosecuted or helped in the prosecution of dozens of dog-fighters in an effort to stamp out the sport. McMaster said dog fights not only are cruel, they also are tied to drug-dealing and other criminal activity.

Like at Campground Road, dog fights usually occur in rural areas, but can attract large crowds from other states.

Lott and Wayne Brennessel, director of the Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Columbia, said dog-fighting remains a problem in South Carolina, despite the best efforts of law enforcement to get rid of it.

"There's more going on than we realize," Brennessel said. "It is just such a well-kept secret."

Pit bulls seized in fighting operations often require retraining before they can be adopted out, but some do not respond to the efforts and must be euthanized, he said. In virtually every case, the dogs used to fight are pit bulls, he said.

Dog-fighters like pit bulls because the animals have powerful jaws and often will not quit, even when badly wounded. Lott said he's committed to stopping the activity in Richland County.

"It's terrible that people would put dogs (through) this for sport and their enjoyment, to watch dogs mutilate and kill each other," Lott said. "That's about as low as you can get."

If you have any information regarding last nights dog fight - or any other one around the Midlands - call CrimeStoppers are 1-88 CRIME SC.


Case Updates

Richland County deputies say a dog seized from a Midlands dogfighting ring is making progress and living with a new family.

In September, Loki was one of 24 pit bulls taken from what authorities call a significant dogfighting operation in Richland County.

Six people have already been arrested and charged in the case and investigators expect to make more arrests.

Loki has been adopted into a foster home and is adapting to his new surroundings and bonding with his new family and their other pets.

Typically in South Carolina, animals seized in dog-fighting rings are euthanized, but
Since the 24 dogs were seized, one of the animals has had three puppies. All of the dogs have received their shots, been heartworm tested, micro chipped, and are receiving treatment to protect against heartworm, roundworms and hookworms.

The Sheriff'ss Department is continuing to work with a large number of people and organizations to take care of the dogs and foster them out .

The bills for these efforts are mounting. If you would like to help you can donate to the Richland County Sheriff's Foundation, P.O. Box 1182, Columbia, South Carolina, 29202.

Money raised will help offset the costs of caring for the animals to cover medical expenses and boarding. Officials are still looking to foster homes and volunteers to help with the dogs until they can be adopted. If you are interested you can call
Source: midlandsconnect.com - Oct 26, 2011
Update posted on Nov 7, 2011 - 10:10PM 
Deputies have arrested two more men in connection with a Richland County dog fighting operation that was busted last month, according to the sheriff.
Sheriff Leon Lott said James Earl Green, 60, and Jason Lundees Washington, 31, were both arrested on Tuesday. Lott said Green turned himself in, and Washington was arrested after being released on bond for federal drug charges.

Green is charged with three counts of felony animal cruelty, and four counts of dog fighting. Lott said Green used box cutters or scissors to cut the ears off of three puppies between four and five weeks old. Washington is charged with two counts of dog fighting.

Around 6:00pm on September 8, Richland County deputies responded to a house on Camp Ground Road in reference to a complaint of dogs barking in the woods between 633 and 647 Camp Ground Road. Upon arrival, deputies saw several dogs chained to the ground along a path with evidence of mistreatment.

Lott said Green lives at the house, and was present with several other people watching two Pit Bulls fight. Deputies were able to arrest one person at the scene, but Lott said two other jumped into a car and tried to run over deputies in an attempt to flee.

Those three suspects have also been arrested. Lott didn't say whether any other arrests are pending.
Source: wistv.com - Oct 20, 2011
Update posted on Oct 22, 2011 - 2:53PM 
Officials say they've arrested two more suspects connected to a dog fighting ring that was broken up earlier this month.

At a news conference Monday, the Richland County Sheriff's Department announced the arrests of 20-year-old Jolisa Cole and 23-year-old Santerrio Smith. Twenty-three-year-old Stanley Taylor was previously arrested for being involved in the dog fights.

Deputies responded to a complaint of barking dogs at a home on Camp Ground Road around 6 p.m. on September 9.

When officials arrived they noticed, what they say appeared to be, a dog fighting operation with several people involved.

Stanley Taylor was arrested earlier this month. He is charged with two counts of felony dogfighting. Cole and Smith were arrested last Friday. Cole has been charged with knowingly attending a dog fight and Smith with two counts of attempted murder after deputies say he tried to run them over with a car. Sheriff Leon Lott says a family member tipped off deputies to the whereabouts of Cole and Smith.

Investigators expect more arrests in the case.

"We've had indications that this has been going on. We just didn't know exactly where it was at," explained Sheriff Leon Lott. "We received a call that identified it and led us to where we needed to be."

Authorities seized 24 dogs at the scene. Late last week they were put in the custody of the Richland County Sheriff's Department and are currently being cared for at a Midlands shelter.

Beethoven's Boy, a one-year-old pit bull, is one of those animals. He is missing an ear and is heavily scarred, investigators say it's proof he was trained to fight.

"They use shock treatments on them," said Sheriff Leon Lott. "They hang them from trees, they do all kinds of things to make them mean. These dogs aren't born being mean."

Deputies brought four animals to Monday's news briefing, three of them were puppies, all of them missing ears. Investigators say a veterinarian tells them the dogs' ears were likely cut off with scissors by people training them to fight.

"These are what people are taking and turning into vicious animals, they are not vicious animals and shouldn't be," said Lott about the the pit bulls, which were extremely playful.

Investigators are hoping to get the dogs into foster homes. Right now, they cannot be permanently adopted because they are considered evidence in the case. Authorities want people to know there are misconceptions about pit bulls, and that they are not simply vicious by nature, rather they are trained to be that way.

"If you get one like this and it's never trained to fight I don't believe that it's going to just one day snap and become a crazy dog and start killing other dogs,"said Investigator Holly Wagner of the Richland County Sheriff's Department. "I just don't believe that."

Dogfighting is illegal in all 50 states, and while the Humane Society of the United States says there are not accurate statistics about dogfighting, they estimate roughly 100,000 people in the U.S. participate in the dangerous bloodsport that is often associated with illegal gambling and drug trafficking.

If you're interested in fostering one of the dogs, contact Source: midlandsconnect.com - Sep 26, 2011
Update posted on Oct 16, 2011 - 7:09PM 

References

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