Beneath is a press launch supplied by america Legal professional’s Workplace — District of Massachusetts
BOSTON – A Hanson man was arrested at the moment for allegedly possessing canines 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 court docket in Boston at 10:45 a.m. at the moment.
In accordance with the indictment, Murphy possessed quite a few objects related to possessing canines for participation in an animal preventing enterprise at his residence in Hanson, Mass., together with: intravenous infusion gear; syringes; antibiotics; injectable anabolic steroids; injectable corticosteroids; a pores and skin stapler; forceps; gear used to coach canines, 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 canines for matches; written coaching regimens; break sticks, used to separate preventing canines; and a breeding stand used to immobilize feminine canines throughout breeding to stop hurt whereas mating.
The USA additionally filed a civil forfeiture criticism towards 13 pit bull-type canines, 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 canines had proof of scarring. The canines are presently 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 canines have been seized, as alleged within the civil forfeiture criticism, the next objects generally related to an unlawful dogfighting operation have been discovered: coaching gear; veterinary provides; canine preventing literature, DVDs, and/or CD-ROMs; kennels used to deal with canines individually; and break sticks, which dogfighters use to drive open a canine’s chew onto one other canine’s physique, particularly on the termination of a combat or whereas coaching.
The civil forfeiture criticism additionally alleges that Murphy communicated with different dogfighters through Fb the place they mentioned the outcomes of dogfights, accidents sustained by preventing canines, in addition to breeding canines. It’s alleged that Murphy additionally belonged to personal dogfighting Fb teams used to share combat outcomes, purchase and promote preventing canines and change data on coaching and conditioning preventing canines, 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 according to that of dogfighting, a photograph of a pit bull-type canine restrained in a breeding stand, and movies that depicted pit bull-type canines bodily tethered to treadmill-like-devices generally used to bodily situation canines in preparation for a dogfight. One video allegedly depicted what seems to be reside bait positioned on the finish of the mill to entice the pit bull-type canine to run quicker and more durable.
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 court docket choose primarily based upon the U.S. Sentencing Pointers and statutes which govern the willpower of a sentence in a prison 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 at the moment.
Beneficial 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 Atmosphere and Pure Assets 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. Prepare dinner of ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Assets Part are prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.
The small print contained within the charging paperwork and civil forfeiture criticism are allegations. The defendant is presumed harmless until and till confirmed responsible past an affordable doubt in a court docket of regulation. The USA should set up that the canines are topic to forfeiture by a preponderance of the proof.