Ex-NFLer convicted of running dog fighting breeding operation
LeShon Eugene Johnson, 54, of Broken Arrow, Okla., was found guilty on six counts of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act by a jury following a trial in which they heard evidence that he bred and trafficked so-called champion and grand champion fighting dogs and their offspring.
"This criminal profited off of the misery of innocent animals and he will face severe consequences for his vile crimes," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
The grand jury indictment was unsealed in March, accusing him of possessing 190 bull-type dogs for use in animal fighting operations.
Federal prosecutors accused him of operating Mal Kant Kennels, which had two locations, one in Broken Arrow and the other in Haskell, which is also in Oklahoma. They said he selectively bred champion and grand champion fighting dogs, defined as those that have won three and five fights, respectively.
He marketed and sold stud rights and puppies from winning dogs to other dog fighters who wanted the Mal Kan Kennels "bloodline," according to prosecutors who said his operation contributed to the growth of dog fighting across the country.
The 190 dogs in his possession were seized by law enforcement in October and are now in U.S. Marshal custody following the verdict on Monday. This is the largest seizure from a single person in a federal dog fighting case, the Justice Department said.
Johnson faces up to a maximum of five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $25,000 for each of the six counts.
The conviction is also at least the second dog fighting case brought against Johnson, who pleaded guilty to state animal fighting charges in 2004 for running Krazside Kennels.
Johnson played five seasons in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants in the 1990s, for a total of 62 games played.
There have been several dog fighting cases.
In February, a Florida man was sentenced to seven years for a dog fighting conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a gun.
In December, a former Defense Department official received 18 months for participating in a multi-state dog fighting conspiracy, and a Virginia man became the final of seven defendants in July of 2023 to be sentenced to 46 months for dog fighting charges.
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