Jimmy Crate Willis, Conspiracy to Sponsor Animal Fighting, Virginia

Clintwood, VIRGINIA – A Virginia man has been handed down a sentence for his involvement in the dark world of animal fighting. Jimmy Crate Willis, 78, was sentenced today to one year of probation, a fine of $250, and a $100 special assessment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to knowingly sponsor and exhibit an animal in an animal fighting venture.

Willis’s role in the illegal activities at the Big Blue Sportsmen’s Club in McDowell, Kentucky, was part of a larger investigation that led to multiple convictions and a significant legal crackdown on cockfighting operations. The 10,000 square-foot club, with its arena-style seating and multiple fighting pits, had been a hotbed for animal fighting for over two decades.

According to evidence presented in previous hearings, the Slone family owned the property where the Big Blue Sportsmen’s Club operated. The investigation that followed the 2014 raid resulted in federal charges related to cockfighting, gambling, and narcotics. To date, nine individuals have been convicted for their roles in the conspiracy.

Among the recent convictions is Russell D. Peaks, who was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for bringing minors to fights, distributing hydrocodone, and facilitating animal fighting. The Slones, owners of the Big Blue Sportsmen’s Club, faced their own legal trouble when they pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in March 2017.

Both Shirley Ray Slone, 73, and Vernon Kelly Slone, 69, were ordered to forfeit $100,000 and agreed to have the entire facility destroyed. They are scheduled for sentencing on June 8, 2017, where they could face up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

The investigation was conducted by various agencies including the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Bureau of Law Enforcement, and the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. A host of other local and federal law enforcement entities also contributed to the successful outcome of this case.

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