Spring Hill man gets 7 years in prison for dog fighting
Jose Miguel Carrillo previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to violate the federal Animal Welfare Act and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
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A search carried out at his Spring Hill home revealed a blood-stained dog fighting box, a skin stapler, syringes, injectable veterinary medications and a gun. 10 dogs were seized from the property, most of which were later adopted.
'To its core, dog fighting is a cruel and criminal exploitation of animals for entertainment,' Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division said in a statement. 'Today's sentence sends a strong deterrent message that the Justice Department will vigorously prosecute these cases.'
Carrillo conspired to purchase and breed dogs for fights. He staged dog fights at his home and travelled to fights throughout Florida, Massachusetts and Conneticut.
'Exploiting and endangering the welfare of animals for personal gain is cruel and abhorrent,' Acting U.S. Attorney Sara C. Sweeney for the Middle District of Florida said in a statement. 'Because of the hard work of our law enforcement partners, justice was served.'
To report animal fighting crimes in your community, contact local law enforcement or the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
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