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Former NFL player LeShon Johnson faces charges for allegedly running a large dogfighting ring, with 190 dogs seized from his kennels in Oklahoma.
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Johnson allegedly bred and sold fighting dogs, marketing them to dogfighters nationwide. His kennel, "Mal Kant Kennels," operated in Broken Arrow and Haskell.
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Authorities claim Johnson profited from dogfighting by selling offspring and stud rights from winning dogs, fueling a larger network of illegal fights.
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U.S. Attorney Christopher Wilson condemned dogfighting as a cruel, illegal practice, emphasizing its inhumane nature and the need for strict legal action.
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Johnson, a former All-American, played in the NFL from 1994 to 1999. He previously pleaded guilty to state animal fighting charges in 2004, receiving probation.
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Federal prosecutors say the case highlights their commitment to stopping repeat offenders and disrupting large-scale dogfighting operations nationwide.
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The Justice Department’s ENRD stresses that dogfighting remains illegal, and strategic prosecutions aim to dismantle networks involved in this brutal activity.