Former New York Giants running back charged in federal dogfighting case
Former New York Giants running back LeShon Johnson faces 21 charges after having 190 dogs seized from him last year, the most ever from a single person in a dogfighting case.
The Department of Justice has announced that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma unsealed a grand jury indictment charging Johnson with violating the federal Animal Welfare Act.
Johnson, who appeared in court last week, is charged 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."
"Animal abuse is cruel, depraved, and deserves severe punishment," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice 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."
"The FBI will not tolerate criminals that harm innocent animals for their twisted form of entertainment," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "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."
If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count ($5.25 million total).
The 54-year-old Johnson previously pleaded guilty to state animal fighting charges in 2004.
Johnson was a third-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 1994 NFL draft. He also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Giants in 1998. He missed that season after being diagnosed with lymphoma but returned to start in 1999.
In 62 career games (12 starts), Johnson rushed for 955 yards and five touchdowns.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Former Giants running back charged in federal dogfighting case
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Calvin Johnson thinks Davante Adams will 'adapt fairly quickly' to Matthew Stafford's arm
Hall-of-Fame receiver Calvin Johnson knows Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford well. The two played together on the Detroit Lions for most of Johnson's legendary career where Johnson made six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. So now that he's seen another great receiver, Davante Adams, join Stafford in L.A., Johnson has some thoughts. All positive, though. Advertisement Johnson told FanDuel TV's Kay Adams that receivers always need to adjust to Stafford's arm strength when they join his team, but Adams should have a much smaller learning curve given how long he played with Aaron Rodgers. 'I saw Davante grow into a very solid receiver,' Johnson said. 'A great receiver from his time in Green Bay to where he is now. 'Even though when a new receiver came to our team, they always had to adjust to the fastball that Matthew throws. I would imagine Aaron Rodgers having a similar arm strength, [Adams will] be able to adapt fairly quickly.' Adams and Stafford have already begun to build a rapport during their brief time together as camps kick off this summer. Both are seasoned pros and understand how to work and adapt to different play styles. Advertisement The hope for the Rams is Adams can pick up the nuances quickly with a new quarterback help build a dominant offense alongside Puka Nacua with Stafford throwing them both the ball. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Calvin Johnson thinks Davante Adams will 'adapt fairly quickly' in LA
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Magic on how the Knicks mishandled the Thibodeau firing: "I can't believe they didn't have a plan in place"
Magic on how the Knicks mishandled the Thibodeau firing: "I can't believe they didn't have a plan in place" originally appeared on Basketball Network. The New York Knicks' decision to part ways with Tom Thibodeau hasn't sat well with many people around the league. Count NBA legend Magic Johnson among those who believe the Knicks made a mistake. Advertisement The Los Angeles Lakers icon made an appearance on a recent "First Take" episode, where he and hosts Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim discussed various hot topics in the NBA. Johnson brought up the reports that New York has been denied permission to interview currently tenured head coaches and recognized how "bad" the state of affairs is within the franchise. "I can't believe they didn't have a plan in place," Magic said of the Knicks' head coaching drama. Giving Thibs a longer leash According to the three-time MVP, he would have given Thibodeau at least one more year to try to fix what went wrong with the Knicks, especially since he was instrumental in the team advancing to the Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Advertisement Even so, the tension appeared to be high within the organization, with the players saying that a change was needed. Maybe they were simply asking their former coach to extend his rotation, but as many are aware, the two-time Coach of the Year just had an inexplicable aversion to playing more than seven or eight guys on any given night. Given that, the Knicks probably thought that making a seismic change in the personnel instead of asking Thibs to change his ways was easier. However, because of how things played out in the Big Apple, Johnson believes the onus is now on the players to deliver a long-awaited championship to the franchise. To be fair to New York, it was able to assemble an impressive roster, although its depth was exposed in its Eastern Conference finals loss to the Indiana Pacers. The jury is out on whether the lack of depth was the front office's fault or if it was due to Thibodeau's refusal to give more bench players additional playing time during the regular season to prepare them for the playoffs. Related: "Yeah, they'll probably have to do something" - Bird says the NBA will be forced to move the 3-point line back if high volume continues Botching the search for a replacement Johnson probably would have been more accepting of the Knicks' decision if they had the following steps mapped out after letting go of Thibs. However, that does not seem to be the case, as the candidates they have reportedly sought first are still employed. They even apparently tried poaching the coach of one of the franchise's villains, Trae Young, resulting in the Atlanta Hawks star finding another reason to laugh at the Knickerbockers again. Advertisement If it isn't clear by now, New York must alter its strategy for finding Thibodeau's successor. Rather than go for current head coaches, it should expand its scope and target candidates who are available and work "behind the scenes." Magic even offered suggestions, naming Mark Jackson and Sam Cassell. Jackson is a familiar name among the Knicks faithful, as the retired point guard helped transform the team into a perennial contender in the 1990s. He also experienced some success as the Golden State Warriors' coach for three seasons from 2011 to 2014. As for Cassell, he arguably deserves the chance to secure a head coaching position after having been an assistant coach since 2008. The players he has worked with have spoken highly of him, and Sam brings championship pedigree, having won three titles, one of which came during his rookie campaign and another in his final season as a player. Advertisement Maybe either of those retired point guards is what New York needs to recover from the fallout of the Thibodeau firing. Related: "Where the hell are they going?" - P.J. Carlesimo doesn't see the logic of firing Thibs without a ready replacement This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
34 minutes ago
- CBS News
FBI seeks 2 "persons of interest" after officers allegedly attacked in Bay Area immigration protest
Officials with the FBI announced that they are seeking two people it says attacked federal officers during a protest outside a Bay Area immigration court earlier this week. On Friday, the agency's San Francisco office released photos of the pair, who the FBI said were seen at Tuesday's protest at the courthouse in Concord and are considered "persons of interest" related to an assault on federal officers and the theft of government property. According to the FBI, one of the people sought was wearing a green baseball cap, sunglasses, a black surgical-style mask, black zip-up sweatshirt, black t-shirt and jeans, along with black shoes. The second person was seen wearing a black surgical-style mask, a black shirt with a graphic, gray vest, brown pants, black boots and a multi-colored crossbody bag. Persons of interest connected to a protest outside the immigration court in Concord, California on June 10, 2025. FBI San Francisco Office Meanwhile, the agency is also offering $25,000 reward as they search for a woman from Tuesday's protest. A woman in a pink hat confronted a federal agent trying to take a man into custody at the immigration courthouse, video taken by CBS News Bay Area shows. She is then seen standing in front of a law enforcement vehicle and was later seen assaulting an officer. Woman wearing a black hoodie and black mask that the FBI said is suspected of attacking an agent outside an immigration court in Concord on June 10, 2025. FBI San Francisco Office Protesters clashed with agents after four immigrants were detained at the courthouse, according to attorneys. "We at the FBI understand the importance of our First Amendment right to protest and express our opinions, but the moment that crosses into violence and assault, clear lines have been crossed," Dan Costin with the FBI told CBS News Bay Area on Wednesday. Also on Friday, Mayor Carlyn Obringer issued a statement about the recent events and said the community is "guided by inclusion, dignity, and respect". The mayor added that the city's police do not enforce federal immigration laws or detain individuals solely on immigration status, in accordance with California law. "Concord is home to a federal immigration court, which is intended to provide individuals with a fair opportunity to present their cases and be heard. We support those who choose to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful protest. At the same time, if actions ever cross the line into violence, we will remain committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our community," Obringer said.
