Three Cumberland County men were among four men sentenced to federal prison for a vicious dog-fighting network that including tortuous training methods and punishments. The network extended from New Jersey to New Mexico and Indiana, and included having dogs fight sometimes to the death, selling them to others based upon their aggressiveness. The investigation captured conversations among those in the ring. In one intercepted call, Vineland resident Anthony “Monte” Gaines talks of how a dog shredded another dogs face, according to the complaint. “I ain’t never seen no (expletive) like that before, where he popped the (expletive) neck. Like, he popped his neck. Like, it just sounded like, you know, how a ball, like the air sucked out of a ball,” Gaines says, describing one kill. “That (expletive) was as stiff as a doorknob.” “Dog fighting is vicious and cruel,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito . “And beyond the needless suffering it inflicts on animals, it exacts a toll on local animal shelters, charitable humane organizations, and the taxpayers of New Jersey.” Gaines, 47, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, after previously pleading guilty to two felony count of conspiracy to buy, sell, receive, transport, deliver, and possess dogs intended for use in an animal fighting venture, and one felony count of possessing a dog intended for use in an animal fighting venture. When his Vineland home was searched, police found six dogs in separate shipping crates stacked in his unfinished basement. They were scarred, aggressive and displayed behavior consistent with physical abuse, the investigator wrote. But he already had gotten rid of several other dogs when he realized investigators were targeting him and his home was going to be searched, according to the complaint. He and Frank Nichols, who lived in Millville, went on a road trip Oct. 30, 2015, during which traded the dogs for puppies. Nichols, 40, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to transport, deliver and receive dogs intended for use in an animal fighting venture, and one felony count of possessing a stolen firearm subsequent to a felony conviction. Lydell “Sinn” Harris, 32, of Vineland, was sentenced to 17 months in prison, after pleading to one felony count of conspiracy to sponsor or exhibit a dog in an animal fighting venture, and one felony count of possessing a dog intended for use in an animal fighting venture. The fourth man sentenced was Pedro Cuellar, 47, of Willow Springs, Illinois, who received a 12-month prison term. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to transport, deliver, and receive dogs intended for use in an animal fighting venture. "Ending animal fighting ventures is important to our division, and is often tied to other forms of crime,” said acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Wood. “We dispatch prosecutors who focus in this area to districts across the country to join with our partners in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in aggressively pursuing illegal animal fighting.” He said the sentencings show that “our justice system will not tolerate the torment and death of animals in the fighting ring, all for the sake of illegal gambling.” The case is part of Operation Grand Champion, borrowing from the phrase used to refer to a dog with more than five “victories.” “The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act were designed to protect animals from being used in illegal fighting ventures, which often entail other forms of criminal activity involving drugs, firearms and gambling,” Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General said. “Together with the Department of Justice, animal fighting is an investigative priority for USDA OIG, and we will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who participate in animal fighting ventures.” To date, 98 dogs have been rescued as part of Operation Grand Champion, and either surrendered or forfeited to the government. The Humane Society of the United States assisted with the care of the dogs seized by federal law enforcement. The investigation is ongoing.
