Donnie Anderson, Dog Fighting, Alabama 2018

In a shocking display of cruelty, eight individuals have been sentenced to prison time for their roles in a historic dog fighting operation in Montgomery, Alabama. The case, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, involved the second-largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history, with over 420 dogs injured or killed in the course of the operation.

The defendants, who included Donnie Anderson, 50, of Auburn, Alabama, and Demontt Allen, 38, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, dog fighting, and other related charges. Sentences ranged from six months to eight years, with Donnie Anderson receiving the longest prison term ever handed down in a federal dog fighting case.

According to U.S. Attorney George L. Beck, Jr., the dog fighting operation attracted large amounts of cash, often between $20,000 and $200,000, and was intertwined with drugs, weapons, and violence. The U.S. District Judge Keith Watkins commented on the extreme cruelty committed both due to dog fighting and the conditions in which these dogs were forced to live.

Throughout the hearing, Judge Watkins estimated that the defendants had injured or killed between 420 to 640 dogs in the course of this dog fighting operation. He further reiterated that the federal sentencing guidelines for dog fighting are wholly inadequate to address the seriousness of the crime.

In addition to prison time, the defendants will serve a two or three-year term of supervised release, during which they are prohibited from possessing dogs. A restitution hearing will also be scheduled in the future, where the defendants may be ordered to pay restitution to the ASPCA and The Humane Society of the United States for the cost of caring for the seized dogs.

The case serves as a precedent for future dog fighting cases and sends a message to dog fighters everywhere that this crime will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The animal welfare community hopes that this case will deter others from committing these atrocities.

The following individuals received prison time for their roles in the dog fighting operation:

Donnie Anderson, 50, of Auburn, Alabama, received an eight-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy, sponsoring dog fights, possessing a fighting dog, and operating an illegal gambling business.
Demontt Allen, 38, of Houston, Texas, received five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and admitting participation in high-stakes dog fights.
Michael Martin, 56, of Auburn, Alabama, received a five-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Irkis Forrest, 33, of Theodore, Alabama, received a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy.
William Antone Edwards, 43, of Brantley, Ala. received one year and one day in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy.
Sandy Brown, 48, of Brownsville, Alabama, received six months in prison for sponsoring a dog fight.
Edward Duckworth, 39, of Decatur, Ga., received 14 months in prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy.
Jennifer McDonald, 36, of Collins, Miss., received two months in prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy.

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