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Dog fighting rings in six states busted in largest raid ever
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Update: as of late today the number of states involved in the dogfighting ring clean-up increased to eight, with arrests also made in Mississippi and Nebraska. The Humane Society said that more than 400 dogs have now been listed as rescued.
It's unknown how many of them can be salvaged. Felony indictments have been leveled against accused dog fighting ring organizers, breeders, and trainers in the investigation of more than a year.
Original story follows.
At least one Oklahoma man has been arrested on multiple charges relating to massive dog fighting rings across six states. Jerry Matlock of Stillwell was among dozens arrested as agents seized more than 350 dogs in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Agents from the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney swooped down on those alleged to be major players in the brutal spectacle of dog fighting.
The Humane Society of the United States served as lead rescue organization. The investigation, which included investigators risking their lives to penetrate the secretive dog fighting ranks, began in Missouri, according to HSUS and made crime-fighting history:
This is the largest simultaneous raid of multiple dogfighting operations in the history of the United States.
“This intervention is a momentous victory in our ongoing battle to end the cruel, criminal dogfighting industry,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS.
The coordinated raids came just weeks after former Atlanta Falcons football star Michael Vick was released early from prison following his sentencing for dog fighting charges. Vick, called a "king pin" in East Coast dog fighting, elevated the awareness of the sadistic, underground dog fighting culture in his fall from glory, humane advocates said.
U.S. Attorney Sheldon Sperling of the Eastern District of Oklahoma charged Matlock with three felony counts that could earn him up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 per offense. The indictment named various crimes, including:conspiracy to travel to participate in a criminal dogfighting enterprise, to sponsor an interstate animal fighting venture, and to buy, transport, deliver or receive a dog for purposes of participation in an animal fighting venture, sponsorship or participation in interstate animal fighting and transporting an animal for interstate animal fighting.
Sperling called dog fighting "...brutal savagery in despicable form." In handing down the indictments, Sperling declared "Dogs are encouraged to rip each other to shreds. The canine combatant gladiators suffer, sometimes horribly. Losing dogs are sometimes executed when they are too disabled to be of further value.”
In the Vick case, losing dogs were hung or drowned to the jeers of Vick and his associates. The scandal exposed the "big money" that motivates and propels the blood business of dog fighting.
And the arrests may not yet be over. The Humane Society is offering rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to further arrests.
For more than a month HSUS has been doing logistical preparation for the raids, transporting equipment and specialized emergency shelter kenneling for hundreds of dogs to Missouri. Dozens of HSUS experts and volunteers have gathered to provide animal handling, transport, sheltering and documentation assistance. Many of the dogs rescued from these dogfighting operations will be taken to the emergency shelter in specially designed animal transport vehicles provided by The HSUS.
While they are being cared for, each dog will be evaluated by animal behavior experts from the Humane Society of Missouri and other organizations to determine their suitability for possible placement with rescue groups or individual adopters.
Additional coverage from Kansas City Crime Examiner Jay Adkins
Image: injuries inflicted on one of Vick's dogs/file photo
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