Another suspect arrested in Washington County dog fighting ring

By Ty Tagami and Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The sheriff in Washington County has nabbed another suspect in a second dog fighting ring broken up within a week.

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Washington County, Ga., Sheriff's Department Roger Williams, 27, of Sandersville, turned himself in to authorities.

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Jimmie Johnson, 29, of Sandersville, was arrested Saturday.

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Roger Williams, 27, of Sandersville, turned himself in late Sunday, Sheriff Thomas Smith told the AJC.  On Saturday, the sheriff arrested Jimmie Johnson, 29, also of Sandersville, during a raid on a live dog fight.

"He was there while the actual dog fighting was going on," Smith said. "Everybody was running; he's the only one we could catch."

The raid in rural Georgia between Macon and Augusta was triggered by an elderly woman concerned about dog fighting on her property. The Washington County sheriff said the woman's son, whom the sheriff is not yet identifying, may yet turn himself in.

Twelve pit bulls were taken into custody, and police found the remains of three dogs that appeared to have been buried in recent days, Smith said.

The first ring was smashed on Tuesday, when the sheriff found 25 dogs and the remains of 27 others on a sprawling rental property. Billy Taylor Jr., 52, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Taylor was previously convicted of forgery in DeKalb County.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals helped the sheriff with both cases, Smith said.

In his 14 years as sheriff, Smith said these are the first two dog fighting cases he's seen.

"I just don't understand somebody's mind, how they would just like to see one dog mutilate another dog," he said.

Smith said he hopes the dogs will get adopted after they receive medical attention.

He said he also hopes the son of the woman who called with Saturday's tip will cooperate with the investigation. The woman likes animals and was concerned about forfeiting her property, the sheriff said.

The woman warned her son Friday to stop the dogfighting, and on Saturday when she saw a crowd gathered around fighting dogs outside her house, she decided she'd had enough, Smith said. "She was tired of this."