Fight club clamped
Bond set at $20K each for 51 suspects in dogfighting ring
There were so many suspects in the dogfighting ring in Benton County, Miss., that they couldn’t all fit in the same courtroom.
Benton County Justice Court judges on Monday set the bonds at $20,000 for each of the 51 suspects charged in what authorities are call- ing one of the five largest dogfighting operations in the country.
The suspects were arrested around midnight Saturday in a rural area of Benton County, about 50 miles from Memphis, after several federal, state and local agencies conducted a raid on the dogfighting event after months of investigating.
“We’ve had small dog fights on
We’ve had small dog fights on a Sunday afternoon, but nothing like this in our area. It is the largest one we’ve seen in the United States”
Arnie McMullen, Benton County sheriff
a Sunday afternoon, but nothing like this in our area,” said Benton County Sheriff Arnie McMullen. “It is the largest one we’ve seen in the United States.”
Authorities located the dogfighting ring in a barn in Benton County, about six to eight miles northeast of Ashland, Miss., off U. S. 72 around midnight Saturday.
Makeshift lights were set up inside the barn lighting the center and hallway of the barn. Dogs were in pens in the middle of the barn, said Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Dickerson, who assisted Benton County in the arrests.
A total of 15 dogs were taken from the premises. Two will have to be euthanized because of their severe injuries from the fighting, Dickerson said.
He said when law enforcement busted the ring, the suspects ran in all directions from officers.
Some fired shots at authorities, but officers did not return fire. No one was injured by gunfire.
Officers used K-9 units to track the suspects into the woods, and 51 people, including men and women, were taken into custody.
Officers also seized $100,000 cash and impounded and towed 60 to 80 cars.
“We arrested 50 people, but have more than 70 cars,” said McMullen. “Some of the cars are rental cars, and we are working to track down the owners.”
Monday, the suspects made their f irst court appearance in Benton County Justice Court where their bond was set and they were charged with dogfighting, which is a felony and carries a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 and one to three years in prison.
Court officials had to put half the suspects in Justice Court Judge Brody Childers’ courtroom and the other half in Justice Court Judge Gary McBride’s courtroom.
The arraignment of the suspects started shortly after 2 p.m. The suspects, all wearing orange jumpsuits with Benton County jail stamped on the back, were called up one by one where the judges told them the charge and set bond at $20,000. Three of the suspects were disabled — two were in wheelchairs and one used a walker.
None of the suspects were from Mississippi. One was from Bolivar, Tenn., and the rest were from all over the country, including California, authorities said.
The investigation into the dogfight took place over several months and was a joint effort of the Humane Society, Marshall County sheriff’s department, Benton County sheriff’s department, the DeSoto County sheriff’s department, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshal’s Office.