IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — The Iredell County Sheriff's Office has named 12 people it said it arrested in connection with an alleged dog-fighting ring. The bust of the "major" operation happened Saturday near a field off Sena Lane, not too far from the Twin Oaks Golf Course in Statesville.
Deputies said an anonymous caller alerted them to a possible dog-fighting event, and once authorities arrived on the scene, they said they found more than 20 vehicles parked in the field. As deputies approached those vehicles, they said several people ran away, while others attempted to drive away.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol helped deputies stop all the fleeing vehicles.
The sheriff's office believes the discovery happened just as an actual fight was about to take place, noting it found a fighting ring in the nearby woods, a hanging scale to weigh dogs, and medical supplies to tend to injuries after fighting.
Deputies provided photos of some of that evidence below.
Iredell County deputies and animal control officers rescued five dogs from the scene.
The sheriff's office reports it arrested the following people in connection with the alleged dog-fighting ring:
- James Faron Morrison, 56
- Phillip Alexander Stevenson, 36
- Curtis Alexander Bowers Jr., 39
- Sean Lennell Burton, 51
- Maurice Moore, 51
- Maurice Leon Washington, 22
- Tomocka Gladden, 51
- Maurice Kentrell Nance, 31
- Johnathan Marquis Baxter, 35
- Keith Deshawn Robinson, 30
- Jashari Malik Billups, 26
- Thomas Duane Bennett, 46
The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, along with Iredell County Animal Services, is involved in the ongoing investigation, and further charges may follow.
Dog-fighting signs and how to report it
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates tens of thousands of people are involved in illegal dog-fighting activity nationwide, despite its designation as a felony offense in all 50 states.
The organization notes busting this "highly secretive enterprise" can be difficult since operations can be hard to infiltrate.
"A dogfight investigation requires many of the same skills and resources as a major undercover narcotics investigation, and challenges the resources of any agency that seeks to respond to it," the ASPCA states in its online resource on the issue.
A guide by the Humane Society of the United States on spotting and reporting dog fighting lists these possible signs of the illegal activity:
- Pit bulls on heavy chains
- Scarred dogs, especially pit bulls
- Treadmills
- Fighting pit, often with “scratch lines”
- Vitamins, drugs, and vet supplies
- Breaking sticks, used to pry open dogs' mouths during a fight
- Dogfighting publications
- Springpole (hanging device made from knotted rope, rawhide or tire, meant to build up dogs' jaw strength)
The HSUS has these suggestions for reporting possible dog-fighting:
- For a dog-fight in progress, call 911 immediately
- For suspected dog-fighting, call the HSUS tip line at 1-877-TIP-HSUS. There is a reward of up to $5,000 if a tip leads to the conviction of a dogfighter
- For animal neglect, outside of involvement in dogfighting, contact the local humane society, animal control or law enforcement agency
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