Leshon Eugene Johnson, 190 Pit Bulls Seized, Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison
A Broken Arrow man has been charged with operating a large-scale dog fighting and trafficking venture in Oklahoma, leading to the seizure of 190 pit bull-type dogs, the largest number ever seized from a single person in a federal dog fighting case.
Leshon Eugene Johnson, of Broken Arrow, was recently indicted by a grand jury for violating the dog fighting prohibitions of the federal Animal Welfare Act. He made his initial appearance in court last week.
The indictment charges Johnson with possessing 190 pit bull-type dogs for use in an animal fighting venture and for selling, transporting, and delivering a dog for use in an animal fighting venture.
According to court documents, Johnson operated a dog fighting operation known as "Mal Kant Kennels" in both Broken Arrow and Haskell, Oklahoma. He previously ran "Krazyside Kennels" also out of Oklahoma, which led to his guilty plea on state animal fighting charges in 2004.
Johnson selectively bred "champion" and "grand champion" fighting dogs to produce offspring with fighting traits and abilities desired by him and others for use in dog fights. He marketed and sold stud rights and offspring from winning fighting dogs to other dog fighters looking to incorporate the Mal Kant Kennels "bloodline" into their own dog fighting operations.
Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase, or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Shreveport Resident Agency office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Sarah Brown and Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, "Animal abuse is cruel, depraved, and deserves severe punishment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and will remain committed to protecting innocent animals from those who would do them harm."
FBI Director Kash Patel said, "The FBI will not tolerate criminals that harm innocent animals for their twisted form of entertainment. The FBI views animal cruelty investigations as a precursor to larger, organized crime efforts, similar to trafficking and homicides. This is yet another push in the FBI’s crackdown of violent offenders harming our most innocent."
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said, "Dog fighting is illegal, and courts have upheld its prosecution time and again. This strategic prosecution of an alleged repeat offender led to the seizure of 190 dogs destined for a cruel end. It disrupts a major source of dogs used in other dog fighting ventures."
U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma said, "Dog fighting is a cruel, blood-thirsty venture, not a legitimate business or sporting activity. I applaud the investigative work of the FBI and the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division in detecting and dismantling breeding operations which only serve to propagate this deplorable conduct."
Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Category: Violent Crime|Animal Abuse
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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