Seven Georgia men accused of running a dog-fighting operation in 2018 were indicted this week on dozens of federal criminal charges, according to reports.
The lead defendant in the case is 45-year-old James “Pookie” Lampkin, who is the owner of the property near Eastman in middle Georgia where the alleged death matches took place two years ago, The Associated Press reported.
Lampkin is accused of felony conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act and 63 counts of possession and training a dog for animal fighting, arising from the 63 dogs that were seized on his property. He also faces a misdemeanor count of attending an animal fight.
The six others facing felony charges were identified by federal prosecutors.
They are 40-year-old Benjamin Shinhoster of Augusta, 33-year-old Deveon Hood of Tennille, 34-year-old Xavier Simmons of Sandersville, 23-year-old Andre Archer of Sandersville and 32-year-old Joe Ford of Elgin, South Carolina. Charged with only a misdemeanor is 44-year-old Dwight McDuffie of Eastman.
The 67-count indictment was handed down by a grand jury Wednesday in the Southern District of Georgia. The case is being overseen by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Rock, who is the dedicated animal cruelty prosecutor with the U.S. State’s Attorney’s Office.
Each felony is punishable by up to five years in prison, although a person with no criminal history would likely be sentenced to less, the AP noted.
“Contests of animal cruelty not only are illegal but also are cesspools of associated criminal activity including gambling, drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We won’t tolerate it, and with our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we are determined to eradicate this barbaric practice.”
Prosecutors allege the men ran a dog-fighting ring that came to light in March 2018 after police pulled them over in the vicinity of a tip they received about illegal animal fighting.
Inside the suspect vehicle, officers found a dog that looked as if it had suffered injuries in a vicious brawl.
Police later came upon the 63 dogs chained in the back yard of Lampkin’s house in Dodge County, the AP reported.
All the dogs, except for one diagnosed with cancer, were rescued and adopted.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
