Beneath is a press launch supplied by america Legal professional’s Workplace — District of Massachusetts
BOSTON – A Hanson man was arrested right this moment for allegedly possessing canine at his Massachusetts dwelling for participation in a dogfighting enterprise.
John Murphy, 50, was indicted on 9 counts of possessing animals to be used in an animal preventing enterprise, in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Murphy will seem in federal courtroom in Boston at 10:45 a.m. right this moment.
In keeping with the indictment, Murphy possessed quite a few objects related to possessing canine for participation in an animal preventing enterprise at his residence in Hanson, Mass., together with: intravenous infusion tools; syringes; antibiotics; injectable anabolic steroids; injectable corticosteroids; a pores and skin stapler; forceps; tools used to coach canine, together with a treadmill, a slat mill, a carpet mill, and a flirt pole; canine coaching and preventing literature; a dangling digital scale used to weigh canine for matches; written coaching regimens; break sticks, used to separate preventing canine; and a breeding stand used to immobilize feminine canine throughout breeding to stop hurt whereas mating.
The US additionally filed a civil forfeiture criticism in opposition to 13 pit bull-type canine, seized in June 2023 from Murphy’s residence and one other residence in Townsend, Mass. As alleged within the civil forfeiture criticism, a number of of the seized canine had proof of scarring. The canine are at the moment within the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) being cared for by a USMS-contractor. Pursuant to the Animal Welfare Act, animals concerned in violations of seven U.S.C. § 2156 are topic to forfeiture to america.
At each areas the place the canine had been seized, as alleged within the civil forfeiture criticism, the next objects generally related to an unlawful dogfighting operation had been discovered: coaching tools; veterinary provides; canine preventing literature, DVDs, and/or CD-ROMs; kennels used to accommodate canine individually; and break sticks, which dogfighters use to pressure open a canine’s chew onto one other canine’s physique, particularly on the termination of a battle or whereas coaching.
The civil forfeiture criticism additionally alleges that Murphy communicated with different dogfighters by way of Fb the place they mentioned the outcomes of dogfights, accidents sustained by preventing canine, in addition to breeding canine. It’s alleged that Murphy additionally belonged to personal dogfighting Fb teams used to share battle outcomes, purchase and promote preventing canine and change data on coaching and conditioning preventing canine, amongst different issues.
It’s additional alleged that Murphy’s Fb accounts contained a photograph of a pit bull-type canine with scarring and discolorations on its head and leg in line with that of dogfighting, a photograph of a pit bull-type canine restrained in a breeding stand, and movies that depicted pit bull-type canine bodily tethered to treadmill-like-devices generally used to bodily situation canine in preparation for a dogfight. One video allegedly depicted what seems to be dwell bait positioned on the finish of the mill to entice the pit bull-type canine to run sooner and tougher.
To report animal preventing crimes, please contact your native regulation enforcement or the U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Workplace of Inspector Basic criticism hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
The costs of possessing animals to be used in an animal preventing enterprise every present for a sentence of as much as 5 years in jail, three years of supervised launch and a high-quality of as much as $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district courtroom decide based mostly upon the U.S. Sentencing Tips and statutes which govern the willpower of a sentence in a legal case.
Appearing United States Legal professional Joshua S. Levy; Christopher P. Robinson, Appearing Particular Agent in Cost of the U.S. Division of Agriculture – Workplace of Inspector Basic, Northeast Area; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Joseph F. King, Director of the Animal Rescue League of Boston – Regulation Enforcement Division made the announcement right this moment.
Worthwhile help was supplied by Homeland Safety Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Safety; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; U.S. Marshals Service; Maine State Police; New Hampshire State Police; Massachusetts Workplace of the State Auditor; Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and the Hanson, Boston, and Acton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial E. Bennett and Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Department Workplace and Trial Legal professional Matthew T. Morris of the Justice Division’s Surroundings and Pure Sources Division (ENRD), Environmental Crimes Part, are prosecuting the case. Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Restoration Unit for the District of Massachusetts, and Trial Legal professional Caitlyn F. Cook dinner of ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Sources Part are prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.
The main points contained within the charging paperwork and civil forfeiture criticism are allegations. The defendant is presumed harmless except and till confirmed responsible past an inexpensive doubt in a courtroom of regulation. The US should set up that the canine are topic to forfeiture by a preponderance of the proof.
