Damarlo A. McCoy, Dog-Fighting Conspiracy, IL 2024

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — A five-year bloodsport operation built on pit bull fights, wagers, and underground videos has exploded into federal court with the arrest of ten men tied to a sprawling dog-fighting conspiracy. Charges unsealed last week allege that Demarlo A. McCoy, 29; Ryan M. Hickman, 42; Andre Keywan Lidell, 40; Algerron Lee Goldsmith, 46; Stantrel Vontrez Knight, 29; Simmeon Terrell Hall, 28; Sherrick Cornelius Houston, 43; Willie Earl Jackson, 34; Terrell Onterial McDuffy, 43; and Jaquan Leontae Jones, 27 — all from Rock Island or Davenport — orchestrated and participated in brutal dog fights from 2011 through April 14, 2016.

The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury and executed this morning, charges nine of the men with conspiracy to sponsor and exhibit pit bull-type dogs in animal fighting ventures. Jones faces a separate misdemeanor count of knowingly attending a dog fight. According to prosecutors, the defendants bred, trained, bought, and sold dogs specifically for combat, staging fights for sport, reputation, and cash. Wagers changed hands, and video footage was circulated to inflate the value of champion fighters and their bloodlines.

Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Hansen, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean M. Cox, and Rock Island Police Chief Jeffrey R. VenHuizen confirmed the arrests during a no-nonsense morning briefing. The FBI and Rock Island Police Department led the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Allegro and Ryan Finlen now handling prosecution. Federal authorities moved swiftly to apprehend all defendants, whose initial appearances are underway in Rock Island’s federal courthouse.

The cruelty extended beyond the fights. In April 2016, search warrants executed on that final day of the alleged conspiracy led to the seizure of approximately 64 dogs. A civil forfeiture complaint filed that same month sought government control of the animals, deemed instruments of crime. To date, 27 dogs have been forfeited by court order; 24 more were granted via default on January 26, 2017. Two were euthanized, five surrendered, and three have died. Three dogs remain in legal limbo, with claims pending and motions unresolved.

Arrest operations today involved a multi-agency blitz: Rock Island Police, FBI, Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, Scott County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, the Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Team (QCMEG), and U.S. Marshals Service. The ASPCA stood by during arrests, prepared to assist with any additional animal seizures. The organization continues to care for the surviving dogs taken during the 2016 raids, many of which show lasting scars from years of abuse.

Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. But if convicted, the charges carry a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000 per count. The court will weigh the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. For now, the message is clear: dog fighting is not a backyard hobby — it’s organized crime, and the feds are coming for it.