Four men were convicted at trial in connection with their respective roles in vicious dog-fighting operation with a base in Cumberland County.
The men were the remaining defendants in the case dubbed “Operation Grand Champion,” that has seen 123 dogs rescued.
Justin Love, Robert Elliott Sr., Dajwan Ware and Robert Arellano were convicted of engaging in a conspiracy to sponsor or exhibit dogs in animal fighting ventures and to buy, sell, possess, train, transport, deliver and receive dogs for those purposes, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito and Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announced Wednesday.
Arellano, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, sold two fighting dogs to Love in Sewell, and conspirator Anthony “Monte” Gaines, who previously pleaded guilty. The dogs were shipped by air cargo in December 2014. The next day, one was seriously injured in a test fight, or “roll,” according to the information presented in the case.
After Gaines found out his Vineland home was the subject of the investigation, he went on a road trip to get rid of three of the dogs, according to the charging document.
“Bubbles” was taken to Ware in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Elliott, who had a dozen dogs of his own at his Millville home, took in “Fancy.”
“Dog fighting is vicious and cruel. And beyond the needless suffering it inflicts on animals, it exacts a toll on local animal shelters, humane organizations and the taxpayers of New Jersey,” Carpenito said. “The message from these convictions is simple: if you fight dogs in New Jersey, you will face prosecution and imprisonment.”
Intercepted calls helped build the case against the group, and gave insight into the brutality of the enterprise.
Three Cumberland men sentenced in dog-fighting ring - BreakingAC
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 ... Read more
In one call Gaines, a Vineland resident, tells Love how a dog “shredded” the face of another dog.
“I ain’t never seen no (expletive) like that before, where he popped the (expletive) neck,” he said. “Like, he popped his neck. Like, it just sounded like, you know, how a ball, like the air sucked out of a ball. ... That (expletive) was as stiff as a doorknob.”
Love, 38, had a previously conviction on animal cruelty charges out of Monmouth County Municipal Court.
“The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act were designed to protect animals from being used in illegal fighting ventures,” said Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General. “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.”
It took jurors about six hours to convict the four men, following a three-week trial.
Love, 38, and Arellano, 64, were also found guilty of unlawfully trafficking in fighting dogs. Love and Elliott, 49, were convicted of unlawfully possessing fighting dogs.
“This is a great example of interagency cooperation—in this case USDA and Cherry Hill HSI—stopping a barbaric practice that permanently damages and often kills dogs,” said Brian Michael, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Newark. “Those who engage in this heinous activity should know that they face serious legal consequences.”
The men are scheduled to be sentenced Feb 20. Each conviction carries a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of as much as a quarter-million dollars.
“Under the leadership of Attorney General Sessions, our division is aggressively pursuing those who engage in the cruel and brutal practice of dog fighting, which is often linked with many forms of violent and organized criminal activity,” acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. “(Tuesday’s) four convictions demonstrate our firm commitment to fight back against those who would abuse these animals, in clear violation of federal law, to satiate bloodthirsty spectators and gamblers. I applaud the law enforcement officers and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to deliver justice in these cases.”
