Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Dog Fighting Conspiracy in Florida
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida announced that Terry Lee, 43, of Gainesville, in Alachua County, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act. U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin announced the plea.
According to court documents, Lee conspired with others to possess, sell, and receive dogs for the purpose of having the dogs participate in animal fighting ventures. On May 23, 2024, Lee used a social media platform to send a video of two dogs fighting to another individual, and attempted to sell one of the dogs in that video on behalf of a co-defendant.
On September 30, 2024, Lee posted an advertisement for the sale of another dog, stating that the dog was a '1xw,' meaning a one-time winner. On or before June 6, 2024, Lee attended a dog fight held inside a property controlled by another co-defendant; one of the dogs he sponsored and forced to participate in the June 2024 fight was later recovered on his property.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said the case was built on collaborative work by state and federal law enforcement partners committed to ending animal fighting ventures, calling the crimes heinous, cruel, and depraved.
Lee faces a maximum of five years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2027, at 1:30 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief U.S. District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The case was jointly investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the Gainesville Police Department, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, and Alachua County Animal Resources. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting the case.
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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