Two men, including a federal official, have been charged for allegedly facilitating a dogfighting ring in Anne Arundel County. Frederick Douglass Moorefield, the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Mario Damon Flythe, were charged with promoting and furthering animal fighting ventures. The men used encrypted messaging applications to communicate with individuals across the United States in order to discuss dogfighting, train dogs for illegal fights, exchange videos, and arrange fights. Law enforcement executed search warrants at the men’s residences, leading to the recovery of 12 dogs, veterinary steroids, training schedules, and other evidence implicating the men in dogfighting activities.
The charges against Frederick Douglass Moorefield and Mario Damon Flythe allege that the men, along with their associates, engaged in various dogfighting activities. They used encrypted messaging applications to discuss training dogs, exchange videos, and coordinate fights. Additionally, they discussed betting on dogfights, the deaths of dogs involved in fights, and ways to conceal their activities from law enforcement. Upon executing search warrants at their residences, law enforcement found evidence such as veterinary steroids, training schedules, and a carpet stained with blood. They also discovered a device consistent with those used to execute losing dogs in fights.
As individuals responsible for maintaining law and order, it is deeply concerning that a federal official was involved in such criminal activities. However, law enforcement acted swiftly, executing search warrants and seizing evidence that links the accused to the dogfighting ring. The recovery and seizure of 12 dogs further highlights the magnitude of the operation. This case serves as a reminder that the authorities will not tolerate animal cruelty and will work diligently to bring those responsible to justice.