Embattled quarterback Michael Vick’s legal situation worsened Tuesday when a Surry County grand jury indicted him on two state dogfighting charges that could carry career-ending prison sentences.

The indictments allege that Vick and his three co-defendants beat, killed or forced dogs to fight and promoted or engaged in dogfighting on property the former NFL star owns in the southeastern Virginia county.

The offenses are low-level felonies punishable by one to five years in prison, 12 months in jail or a $2,500 fine. Vick pleaded guilty last month to a federal dogfighting charge that could send him to prison for five years when he’s sentenced Dec. 10. Federal prosecutors, however, have recommended 12 to 18 months.

Vick has been indefinitely suspended from the NFL but could revive his once-promising career after serving the federal sentence. Receiving a lengthy Virginia prison term, though, would dash any comeback hopes. But if Vick is convicted on the state charges and gets a prison sentence similar to what prosecutors suggested last month in federal court, he might not spend much extra time incarcerated.

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“I would think any state sentence in Virginia would run concurrently with his federal sentence,” said John F. Brady, a lawyer who teaches bar-examination review courses nationwide. “That probably will not happen if he is convicted in South Carolina, where prosecutors have said they are still investigating him. South Carolina is the worst state in the country for people who fight dogs.”

Last month in federal court, Vick and his co-defendants admitted to running a dogfighting operation, including killing under-performing animals. Despite the admissions, the grand jury declined to indict the men on eight counts of animal cruelty.

Surry County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerald Poindexter asked a local judge Tuesday to schedule an arraignment Oct. 3 for Vick and his co-defendants.

“These are serious charges, and we can assure you that this grand jury was not driven by racial prejudice, their affection or lack of affection for professional athletes, or the influence of animal rights activists and the attendant publicity,” Surry County Sheriff Harold Brown and Poindexter said in a joint statement.

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com