Louisiana Man Sentenced to Prison for Multiple Crimes Connected to Dog Fighting
Louisiana Man Sentenced to Prison for Multiple Crimes Connected to Dog Fighting
Louisiana – A Louisiana man was sentenced today to three years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1000 fine for possession of an animal in an animal fighting venture.
Clay Turner, 61, of Loranger, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2021, to possessing an animal for use in an animal fighting venture. Turner, according to court documents, owned and trained dogs with the intention of using them in animal fighting ventures. Turner and others discussed gambling on dog fights, arranging and participating in dog fights, sponsoring and exhibiting dogs in dog fights, training and housing dogs for the purposes of dog fighting, commerce in and transport of fighting dogs, and the promotion of dog fights on phone calls obtained through court-authorized wiretaps.
A federal law enforcement team comprised of agents from the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), the FBI, the United States Marshals Service, and other agencies executed a search warrant on Turner’s Loranger residence in October 2017. During the search, 33 dogs were discovered on the property, with many of them suffering from injuries, scarring, and fresh wounds. In addition, law enforcement discovered a large collection of dog fighting paraphernalia, including:
- a water tank equipped to force dogs to swim to condition them for fighting;
- an electrified prod used in conjunction with the water tank;
- two treadmills equipped to force dogs to run to condition them for fighting;
- ledgers containing the weights and prices of dogs;
- “break sticks” and “flirt poles,” training equipment intended to enhance dogs’ jaw strength;
- pedigrees for the fighting dogs Turner bred; and
- photographs of dogs in inhumane conditions.
“Dog fighting is a particularly cruel form of animal abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Turner bred dogs solely to abuse them, through inhumane training methods and violent fights that left them scarred, severely injured, or dead. These dogs deserved better. As this prosecution demonstrates, those who engage in this abhorrent conduct will be brought to justice.”
“This case lifts the veil on the brutal realities associated with this heinous activity,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans of the Eastern District of Louisiana. “This federal crime exploits animals for the sake of human entertainment and ill-gotten financial gains. Collectively, local, state and federal law enforcement partners are actively engaged in ending this criminal industry by holding accountable perpetrators who engage in dog fighting and rescuing victimized dogs from this appalling pastime.”
“The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act were designed to protect animals from being used in illegal fighting ventures, which often entail other forms of criminal activity involving drugs, firearms, and gambling,” said Special Agent-in-Charge, Dax Roberson of USDA-OIG. Together with the Department of Justice, animal fighting is an investigative priority for USDA-OIG, and we will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who participate in animal fighting ventures.”
“Animal cruelty is a heinous crime that deserves our ultimate condemnation and serious legal consequences for those who engage in it for ‘sport’ and/or profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Division. “Today’s sentencing should serveas a reminder to those like Mr. Clay Turner who commit such criminal activity, that they will be held accountable. For their outstanding cooperation and great work, we thank our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Louisiana, the Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, and the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section in the criminal prosecution of those who participated in animal fighting ventures.”
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Matthew D. Evans, Christopher Hale, and former Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer L. Blackwell of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Shih for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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