Convicted felon, girlfriend busted for involvement in dog fighting operation
Jul 28, 2015, 5:19 PM | Updated: 5:41 pm
Two people were arrested in South Seattle for their involvement in a dog fighting operation. (Seattle Police Department)
(Seattle Police Department)
Two people were arrested in South Seattle for their involvement in a dog fighting operation.
After setting up an undercover meeting, Seattle officers arrested a 30-year-old man suspected of selling dogs for the purpose of animal fighting. The man’s girlfriend was also arrested for her involvement.
The case began with employees of the Seattle Animal Shelter investigating complaints of dogs being tied up and barking in the 4200 block of South Kenny Street. A second complaint led law enforcement to recover a dog with scars on its face.
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That led to a joint operation and the discovery of the suspect’s website, advertising dogs with bloodlines that led back to fighting dogs. When officers set up a meeting with the suspect to buy a dog, the suspect showed the officers photos of his dogs fighting to encourage the sale. The suspect and his girlfriend were arrested Thursday and a warrant was served on his home, vehicle, trailer and mother’s home.
The City of Seattle’s Humane Animal Law Enforcement officers rescued five dogs kept in poor conditions. The Washington State Gambling Commission and Seattle Police Major Crimes Task Force seized four firearms, illegal dog fighting training devices and $26,000.
The 30-year-old suspect is a convicted felon who had two warrants for his arrest. He recently returned to Seattle, after hiding in Louisiana for about seven years.
Both the man and his girlfriend were booked into King County Jail for animal cruelty, animal fighting, and professional gambling charges. The man was also charged for being in possession of a firearm.
