Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., a Department of Defense communications official, has been charged with operating a dogfighting ring for many years, according to federal prosecutors in Maryland. Moorefield and another defendant, Mario Damon Flythe, communicated through encrypted messaging applications to discuss illegal dogfighting activities, such as training dogs, coordinating fights, and betting on them. They used the names “Geehad Kennels” and “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their dogfighting operations. Moorefield has been involved in dogfighting for about two decades and had been “canvassing his dogfighting associates” to organize fights.
Law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the defendants’ Maryland homes and confiscated 12 dogs, along with other evidence such as veterinary steroids, training schedules, and items associated with dogfighting. In November 2018, two dead dogs with injuries consistent with dogfighting were found in a plastic bag near Moorefield’s house. The charges against Moorefield and Flythe include participating in an animal fighting venture, using the postal service for promoting such activities, and conspiring to exhibit animals in dogfighting. If convicted, they could face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Dogfighting is a cruel sport that involves breeding aggressive dogs and forcing them to fight for entertainment and profit. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates that hundreds of thousands of dogs are subjected to this abuse every year. In 2019, the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act was passed, making intentional acts of animal cruelty federal crimes with penalties of up to seven years in prison. While strengthened dogfighting laws are encouraging, more progress needs to be made in addressing these operations, according to animal rights groups. Dogfighting is not only a form of animal cruelty but also poses public safety risks and is associated with illegal activities such as gambling, drugs, and firearms possession.
