Massive dog fighting ring busted in U.S. – 150 pit bulls seized
ST. LOUIS—Officers from multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies arrested five Missouri men and seized more than 150 pit bull terriers in an early morning raid on several locations involved in dog fighting ventures, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael W. Reap announced Wednesday.
The U.S. Attorney also filed motions seeking to take legal ownership of the dogs and place the animals in the care and custody of the Humane Society of Missouri. Under federal law, the government can take custody of any animals engaged in any animal fighting venture.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney is seeking a court order requiring the defendants to reimburse the Humane Society of Missouri for all costs incurred for care of the animals while the animals are in their custody.
According to the indictment, between January 2008 and June 2009, Michael Morgan, Robert Hackman, Teddy Kiriakidis, Ronald Creach and Jack Ruppel were involved in animal fighting ventures and dog fighting competitions.
They established and ran various kennel operations to purchase, breed, train, condition and develop pit bull terriers for participation in the animal fighting ventures. Robert Hackman operated “Shake Rattle and Roll Kennel;” Jack Ruppel operated “Ozark Hillbillys Kennel;” Michael Morgan aka “Missouri Mike” operated “Cannibal Kennel;” and Ronald Creach operated “Hard Goodbye Kennel.”
The indictment alleges that the defendants routinely inhumanely abandoned, destroyed and otherwise disposed of pit bull terriers that lost fighting competitions, did not perform aggressively enough, or that became injured, wounded, or disabled as a result of participating in an animal fighting ventures.
In addition to the indictment unsealed today in the Eastern District of Missouri, multiple defendants were also charged in separate cases arising from the same investigation in the Western District of Missouri, the Southern District of Illinois and the Eastern District of Texas.
Headed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, this dog fighting investigation is the latest in a series of major animal fighting investigations conducted throughout the country since the passage of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, signed into law in May 2007, which makes it a felony to participate in the blood sport.
“As evidenced through this and other recent investigations, animal fighting activities exist throughout the state and the country,” said Special Agent-in-Charge James L. Mendenhall. “The OIG will continue to pursue substantive allegations of animal fighting, and is committed to work in concert with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to that end.”
“We are pleased with the success of this lengthy and thorough investigation, stated Colonel James F. Keathley, Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Undercover officers from within the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control along with the other state and federal agencies should be commended for their dedication and continued hard work in our concerted efforts to stop animal fighting.”
“The Humane Society of Missouri provided initial information that led to this investigation. During the course of the investigation they also cared for animals involved when possible, and they are presently designated to provide continuing care for the seized dogs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Reap.
“Forcing a dog to fight to its death is not a sport,” said John V. Gillies, Special Agent-in- Charge of the St. Louis office of the FBI. “There is nothing respectable about encouraging two animals to torture and dismember each other. Individuals who participate in dog fighting claim to care for the animals, but they don’t hesitate to electrocute their helpless dog once it loses a fight and can no longer provide any financial benefit.”
Indicted in the Eastern District of Missouri:
- Michael Morgan, aka Missouri Mike, 38, of Hannibal, Mo., on two felony counts of conspiracy to commit federal offenses and one felony count of prohibitions against animal fighting ventures;
- Robert Hackman, 55, of Foley, Mo., on two felony counts of conspiracy to commit federal offenses and two felony counts of prohibitions against animal fighting ventures;
- Teddy Kiriakidis, aka Teddy Bogart, 50, of Leasburg, Mo., on one felony count of conspiracy to commit federal offenses;
- Ronald Creach, 34, of Leslie, Mo., on one felony count of conspiracy to commit federal offenses, and;
- Jack Ruppel, 35, of Eldon, Mo., on two felony counts of conspiracy to commit federal offenses and two felony counts of prohibitions against animal fighting ventures.
If convicted, each count of the indictment carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.
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Everyone is forgetting that we as humans fight in a ring and place bets on it. This may be in humane I understand, but I think the punishment is a little harsh. We have rapist and murders who get less time and fines than these men, and we are talking about humans not dogs. When these men fight they beat each other to a bloody pulp and wind up with brain damage or die from it . Lets not judge them yet because we have all made some mistake in our lives.
To BUG – These guys are just a bunch of white trash rednecks getting their jollies off at the expense of these dogs. POS every one of them and I hope that they ALL face the max time for this behavior. Just because bloodsports have existed for centuries does not make it right nor something we should condone.
Sorry PitKeeper, your excuse for this doesn’t work here. Just so happens that the “white” trash you are talking about included a nurse, a couple of school teachers, football coach, etc. Middle class, educated people engaging in dog fighting, not the low life that pit people try to pass off as the irresponsible owners. And these dogfighters get their jollies by watching the average pit owner do their job of stopping laws that would help the pits. And don’t forget selling books for the National Canine Research Council. Go to http://www.DogsBite.org and see the horrors of pit and pit type attacks and read the statistics. According to http://www.DogsBite.org, pits and pit types are killing people in America at the average rate of one every 21 days. The puppies from these dogfighters make their way into the hands of a family by telling the family they are “nanny” dogs. Then the dog attacks, mauls or kills. So the punishment is where it should be when you consider that these people are placing time bombs in families.
*** Bug *** Are u serious ????
You must not know anything about Psychology. It is the science dealing w/ the mind and emotional process . It takes a Mentally Unstable person to do such crimes.
- In ur mind u think – no big deal – a couple of dogs are fighting – Happens everyday , Huh ? But in Reality these people are Murderers and Rapist . A life of a Fighting dog is Painful and Short . They train their dogs daily – and we aren’t talking about Treats and Sit. We are talking about Daily beating , Starving for weeks , Lethal Injections . , leaving the dog in a dark confined room barely being fed . Maybe once a week and he will live in this dark room for most it’s life . This animal didn’t chose this Life – A Human chose it . Just like a Humans choose to go into a Ring a fight . Yes , once Dog Fighting was legal and thought ok , but in that day dogs were faught different – not like the Thugs do now . Dogs back then weren’t put down just bcus it Lost a Fight ( like now ) Only if it showed Human aggression did the owner put his dog down . They would kill the bad blood line . These dogs were Family dogs and went home to their families after a fight …… Now ………………NOW !!!!!!! People Hang, burn,starve to death , Suffocate or Drown their Losing Dogs . AND U THINK THIS IS OK ???? These people don’t only fight their dogs – but they harm other people too . It takes a Dark/Evil person to take a Sweet puppy that he is suppose to love all of it’s life & not only see this dog get Torn to pieces , Crying and Wandering why this is happening to it – but then kill it like nothing ecer happened ?? How to u think that person treats His Girlfriend or Kids ?? LoL Do u think he Loves them ?? Do u really think this person w/ NO KIND CONSCIENCE. Or is that too big of a word for u too ….. its an ability or a faculty that distinguishes whether one’s actions are right or wrong. These people have No remorse … and they are the same ones Hitting and Killing their Wives and Kids …. but that is ok too u. I feel sorry for ur family . God Bless !!!!!!!!!!!!!
**** and to Pitssuck …………. ******* Not Knowing is one thing – but being too Ignorant NOT to try to learn is another !!! This website is made from 1 person – she writes this out of Hate and Fear – she only tells one side of the story and always too scared to reveal the rest … Example : ” Pit Bull” isn’t even a Breed . It is a term used to describe several breeds of dog in the Molosser Family. There are over 24 Breeds of dogs Misidentified as an APBT . 24 and all their Mixes . So u tell me how in ur mind u think it is fair that a dog who is Rott/GS is Considered a Mix or Mutt , but a Rott/GS/Pit is a Pit Bull . Or 1/2 the time it doesn’t have APBT in it’s Blood at all. That is just as Ignorant as saying all Brown n Black dogs are German Shepards. GS / Rott/GS/Ridgeback/ MAstiff … those 5 breeds just its self would have more dog bites than the 24 breeds of ” Pit Bull “. here take the test……. bet u can’t find the real Pit bull …http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html . I do agree the bites have to stop . but killing Millions of Innocent because of few is Ignorance….. BSL has failed in Holand and a few cities …. not only did they kill millions of dogs the bite rate went up . Go ahead read about the Bans being uplifting ……. its all over the net . Killing breeds of dogs are not going to stop the problem – EDUCATION IS . LETS EDUCATE THE OWNERS/DOGS AND CHILDREN . Lets make it harder to own an APBT . I think Every APBT Owner should take classes and Intense Test …. so should the dog . These are wonderful dogs if raised and trained right . Yes, they use to be Nanny dogs… in the 1800’s and early 1900’s – before Man fought them , Inbreed them & Abused them . These dogs are used for Therapy , Police , Agility , Frisbee , Obedience and several other Good things . Please Open ur Eyes and Mind and do some Research … there is 2 sides to everything . There has never been more than 27 deaths due to ” Pit Bulls ” or Pit Bull Mixes but more than 440,000 People will die from Smoking Cigarettes. More than 2,000 children will die from their own Parents, in 1 year . More than 3.5 millions kids will go to the Hospital from Sport Related injuries… See that website only says 404,364 base/soft ball . When comparing to dog bites . Not all the Sports just 1. And more than 40% will enclude removing a limb or severe Surgery . So lets try it my way ….. My way ends in Education – ur way still ends in Death .