Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dog-fighting - 4 dogs seized, 12 people arrested

Dog-fighting - 4 dogs seized, 12 people arrested
Allentown, PA (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, May 6, 2006
County: Lehigh
Disposition: Convicted

Abusers/Suspects:
» Moses Ramos
» Glenn Prude
» Khayree Mohammed Pickett
» Noel Junior Velez
» Daniel Matthew Petties
» Levar Terell Cook
» Martin Laluz
» Andrew S Davis
» Mikkel Rico McKinney
» Javon K Johnson - Dismissed
» Winfield Roy Poyer
» Unknown Juvenile - Alleged

Case Updates: 6 update(s) available

Case ID: 8422

Classification: Fighting

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

View more cases in PA (US)

Twelve people were arrested on the afternoon of May 6 at a dogfight staged in the basement of an Allentown nightclub in the city's biggest animal cruelty crackdown in years, police said. Responding on a tip, investigators found four dogs, two of them injured, in the basement of the Down Low Nite Club, 333 Hamilton St., between 2 and 3 p.m., Assistant Police Chief David Howells said. ''It's a clandestine type of operation,'' he said. ''Fortunately, in this case, a concerned citizen called in and let us know about the situation.''

About 20 police officers, the Lehigh County Humane Society and the city's Health Bureau and code enforcement division investigated the business, which was closed down by the city Saturday night. Orange stickers left on the doors by the code enforcement division say the building is ''unsafe for use or human habitation.'' Police taped off a half block of N. Race Street next to the nightclub. Howells said police got a search warrant for the building Saturday night. Two empty dog kennels sat on the sidewalk next to a side door.

Names of the suspects were not available. Howells said the people arrested were charged with felony counts of animal cruelty and animal fighting. The Humane Society took the dogs, Howells said.

A city building inspector on the scene deferred questions to police. Howells said the building was shut down because it's a restaurant and inspectors found unsanitary conditions. ''They serve food there,'' Howells said. ''There was blood everywhere, and dog hair, urine and feces.''

Most dog-fighting arrests through the years have been low-key events with a handful of people in an alley or someone's yard, Howells said. For instance, three Allentown men were charged with animal cruelty in 1999 when authorities found them encouraging dogs to fight on the sidewalk on Seventh Street. In 1998, two men were charged with animal cruelty for making their pit bulls fight at a home on Gordon Street. Neighbors told police they heard the men encouraging the dogs to fight, and police found one pit bull bleeding from its wounds.

''I'm not aware of an organized dogfight like this in a long time,'' Howells said. ''We've had them in the past, but where a couple of people meet in the alley.''

Case Updates

The remaining defendants accused of running a dog-fighting operation out of an Allentown nightclub have been convicted and sentenced.

On April 12, 2007, Andrew S. Davis pled to one felony count of animal fighting for amusement or gain. He was sentenced to 18 months probation, transferable to the state of New York. He was also ordered to pay fines in the amount of $844.20.

Also on April 12, Winfield Poyer pled to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct - engaging in a fight, and was fined $931.70.

Davis and Poyer represent the final two defendants convicted as the result of an organized dog fight conducted at an Allentown nightclub nearly a year ago.

In all, eleven people were arrested last May, when Allentown police went to the Down Low nightclub and found dog-fighting in progress. Police said they found two injured dogs in a wooden ring stained with blood, a scale, a shocking device used to agitate the dogs, medical supplies and equipment used to pull the dogs apart. Other dogs were found in nearby vehicles.

''They were very injured,'' a humane officer testified at the preliminary hearing for seven of the men accused of staging or watching the bloody fight. ''One of the dogs was taken to the humane society and died at the scene. The other dog had lacerations to his face, heavy bleeding and was staggering. He was still showing aggression and was humanely euthanized.''

Court records do not indicate that any of the participants are prohibited owning animals in the future.

Source: Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas
Update posted on Apr 16, 2007 - 4:58PM

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Martin Laluz appeared in court for sentencing on April 11. Laluz pled guilty to one count of assisting in an animal fight and one count of corruption of a minor on February 28.

The conviction stems from an organized dog fight held at an Allentown nightclub last year. When officers arrived, they reportedly discovered a wooden fighting pit, a blood-soaked carpet, and two pit bulls locked in battle. Neither dog survived.

Eleven people were arrested, and the building was shut down due to unsanitary conditions. ''They serve food there,'' the building inspector said at the time. ''There was blood everywhere, and dog hair, urine and feces.''

Martin Laluz, in charge of security at the Down Low nightclub, reportedly brought his minor child to the dog-fight.

He was sentenced to six months in jail and two years probation. He was also ordered to pay fines totaling $394.20.

Source: Lehigh County Court Case # 2006 CR000-2959
Update posted on Apr 13, 2007 - 10:37PM

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Moses Ramos pleaded guilty to one felony count of animal fighting on March 27, 2007. He was sentenced to two years' probation and ordered to pay fines and court costs totalling $1,494.20.

The conviction stems from an organized dog fight held at an Allentown nightclub last year. When officers arrived, they reportedly discovered a wooden fighting pit, a blood-soaked carpet, and two pit bulls locked in battle. Neither dog survived.

Eleven people were arrested, and the building was shut down due to unsanitary conditions. ''They serve food there,'' the building inspector said at the time. ''There was blood everywhere, and dog hair, urine and feces.''

Several of the participants have been convicted, however most are no longer in custody. Martin Laluz will appear for sentencing on April 11 at 1:30 p.m. Andrew Davis and Winfield Poyer will appear for a status conference on April 12 at 11:00 a.m.

Source: Lehigh County Court
Update posted on Mar 27, 2007 - 7:26PM

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The remaining defendants accused of running a dog-fighting operation out of an Allentown nightclub will appear in court next month.

Moses Ramos will go on trial for felony dog-fighting charges on March 26, 2007 at 9:00 a.m.

Martin Laluz, in charge of security at the Down Low nightclub, reportedly brought his minor child to the dog-fight. He was convicted on misdemeanor charges of assisting in a dog fight and corrupting a minor on February 28, 2007. Laluz will be sentenced on April 11 at 1:30 p.m.

Andrew Davis and Winfield Poyer will appear in court for a status conference on April 12 at 11:00 a.m.

All matters will be heard at the Lehigh County Courthouse, located at 455 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA, 18101.

Eleven people were arrested on dog-fighting-related animal cruelty charges in May 2006, when Allentown police went to the Down Low nightclub and found dog-fighting in progress. Police said they found two injured dogs in a wooden ring stained with blood, a scale, a shocking device used to agitate the dogs, medical supplies and equipment used to pull the dogs apart. Other dogs were found in nearby vehicles.

''They were very injured,'' a humane officer testified at the preliminary hearing for seven of the men accused of staging or watching the bloody fight. ''One of the dogs was taken to the humane society and died at the scene. The other dog had lacerations to his face, heavy bleeding and was staggering. He was still showing aggression and was humanely euthanized.''

Glenn Prude pled guilty to five counts of animal cruelty in August 2006, and was sentenced to 6 - 18 months in the Lehigh County Prison. He will be on probation for two years after his prison sentence and will not be allowed to own or supervise any animals during that time, with the exception of cats he already owns.

Levar Cook was convicted of one felony count of animal fighting on November 27, 2006, and was sentenced to 2 years probation.

Mikkel McKinney pled guilty to 1 count of felony animal fighting on December 4, 2006. He was also sentenced to 2 years probation.

Khayree Pickett pled guilty to one felony count of animal fighting on January 4, 2007, and was sentenced to 2 years probation.

Noel Velez was also found guilty of felony animal fighting. He was sentenced to 4 months in jail and 2 years probation. On February 12, 2007, Velez violated his probation and was sentenced to 4-23 months in prison.

Daniel Petties was convicted on other felony charges and was in custody at Cambria prison as of March 1, 2007.

Charges against Javon Johnson were dismissed, and information on the juvenile defendant is not available.

Source: Lehigh County Court
Update posted on Mar 4, 2007 - 4:22PM

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A man who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges for engaging in a dogfighting event was sentenced to six to 18 months in the Lehigh County Prison.

Glenn Prude, 42, of Allentown, will be on probation for two years after his prison sentence and will not be allowed to own or supervise any animals during that time except cats he already has in his home, Lehigh County Judge William E. Ford said Monday.
Prude was one of 11 people charged in May when Allentown police went to the Down Low nightclub found dogfighting in progress. Police said they found two injured dogs in a wooden ring stained with blood, a scale, a shocking device used to agitate the dogs, medical supplies and equipment used to pull the dogs apart. Other dogs were found in nearby vehicles.

Prude pleaded guilty in August to five counts of animal cruelty. The others are scheduled for status conferences before Ford on Oct. 27. Prude apologized Monday, and cried when he said one of his dogs had died during the event.

Source: 6 ABC - Sept 26, 2006
Update posted on Sep 28, 2006 - 8:38AM

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A Lehigh County Humane Society officer testified Thursday that when he and several Allentown police officers went to the Down Low nightclub to investigate a possible dogfight, they discovered a wooden fight pit, a blood-soaked carpet, and two pit bulls locked onto each other in battle.

Orlando Aguirre said he used a police baton to separate the dogs, but knew they would not survive.

''They were very injured,'' Aguirre testified at the preliminary hearing for seven of the 11 men accused of staging or watching the bloody fight. ''One of the dogs was taken to the humane society and died at the scene. � The other dog had lacerations to his face, heavy bleeding and was staggering. He was still showing aggression and was humanely euthanized.''

After hearing about five hours of testimony from Aguirre, three Allentown police officers, the owner of the Down Low and the 13-year-old son of one of the defendants, District Judge Charles Crawford ruled there was enough evidence to send charges of felony cruelty to animals against seven defendants to Lehigh County Court.

In court Thursday were Allentown residents Khayree M. Pickett, 27, of 205 N. Jordan St.; Moses Ramos, 28, of 634 Lehigh St.; and Noel J. Velez, 26, of 640 N. Lumber St.; Easton resident Levar T. Cook, 25, of 24 N. Ninth St.; Bethlehem resident Martin Laluz Sr., 34, of 447 E. Garrison St.; Mikkel R. McKinney, 27, of Philadelphia; and Javon K. Johnson, 28, of Port Jervis, N.Y.

Winfield R. Poyer, 29, also of Port Jervis, and Emmaus resident Daniel M. Petties, 27, of 330 Powdermill Lane, had to reschedule their hearings because they had no legal representation Thursday. Andrew S. Davis, 31, of Yulan, N.Y, waived his hearing and his case was sent to court.

Allentown resident Glenn Prude, 42, of 1108 Tilghman St., waived his preliminary hearing earlier this month. Davis, Laluz and Prude also face additional felony charges for allegedly conspiring to organize the fight.

Crawford dismissed two felony charges against Laluz, the head of security at the club, after no evidence was presented to show that anyone was betting on the dogs or that he was responsible for allowing people inside the club. He also faces misdemeanor corruption of minor charges for taking his son to the fight.

Several of the seven attorneys at the hearing argued that their clients stumbled upon the dogfight while at the night club at 333 Court St. to pick up their paychecks for working as bouncers and were not spectators.

After Allentown detectives testified that they found no evidence of paychecks, Senior Deputy District Attorney Diane Marakovits said, ''There were no paychecks. They were there to watch a dogfight.''

Police were called to the Down Low about 2 p.m. on May 6, after Aguirre received an anonymous tip from a woman that there was a dogfight in progress. He testified that he went to the night club and heard people cheering and dogs growling, and phoned Allentown police, who dispatched more than a dozen officers.

Allentown officer Robert Judge testified that 11 people and a boy were arrested in the club; three in the basement where the fight was taking place, two on the roof and the others who tried running out a first-floor exit on the north side of the club.

Attorneys for Ramos and Pickett claimed they worked at the club as bouncers and were there only to pick up their pay.

Allentown Detective Paul Wargo testified that Ramos said in a statement that he observed 10 people in the club and saw the dogfighting and ''knew it was wrong and should have turned away.'' Wargo testified that he interviewed Laluz, who told him he bought the wood to build the makeshift ring.

Allentown Detective Glenn Granitz testified that he interviewed Cook, Velez and McKinney, who all said they went with their friends to pick up their paychecks and were in the club for about 10 minutes and witnessed the dogfighting.

Laluz's son, who also was arrested in May, testified that he was with his father at the home of Prude, also known as ''Heavy,'' when Prude placed a scale and a pit bull in the back of his father's minivan. The boy said Prude, who was at Thursday's hearing for a brief time, opened up the night club and let them and three others inside.

The boy said he went straight to the bathroom with Prude's dog, named Pit Stop, and Prude later weighed it and placed him in the ring, where it fought with Davis' dog, nicknamed Booger.

Source: The Morning Call - June 30, 2006
Update posted on Jun 30, 2006 - 4:59PM

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Dog-fighting - 4 dogs seized, 12 people arrestedAllentown, PA (US)

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Dog-fighting - 4 dogs seized, 12 people arrested
Allentown, PA (US)