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Under is a press launch supplied by the US Lawyer’s Workplace — District of Massachusetts
BOSTON – A Hanson man was arrested as we speak 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 combating enterprise, in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Murphy will seem in federal court docket in Boston at 10:45 a.m. as we speak.
Based on the indictment, Murphy possessed quite a few objects related to possessing canine for participation in an animal combating 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 combating literature; a dangling digital scale used to weigh canine for matches; written coaching regimens; break sticks, used to separate combating canine; and a breeding stand used to immobilize feminine canine throughout breeding to forestall hurt whereas mating.
The US additionally filed a civil forfeiture grievance 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 grievance, a number of of the seized canine had proof of scarring. The canine are at present 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 the US.
At each areas the place the canine have been seized, as alleged within the civil forfeiture grievance, the next objects generally related to an unlawful dogfighting operation have been discovered: coaching tools; veterinary provides; canine combating literature, DVDs, and/or CD-ROMs; kennels used to accommodate canine individually; and break sticks, which dogfighters use to power open a canine’s chunk onto one other canine’s physique, particularly on the termination of a struggle or whereas coaching.
The civil forfeiture grievance additionally alleges that Murphy communicated with different dogfighters by way of Fb the place they mentioned the outcomes of dogfights, accidents sustained by combating canine, in addition to breeding canine. It’s alleged that Murphy additionally belonged to non-public dogfighting Fb teams used to share struggle outcomes, purchase and promote combating canine and trade info on coaching and conditioning combating 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 keeping 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 reside bait positioned on the finish of the mill to entice the pit bull-type canine to run quicker and tougher.
To report animal combating crimes, please contact your native legislation enforcement or the U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Workplace of Inspector Normal grievance hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
The fees of possessing animals to be used in an animal combating enterprise every present for a sentence of as much as 5 years in jail, three years of supervised launch and a superb of as much as $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court docket choose based mostly upon the U.S. Sentencing Tips and statutes which govern the willpower of a sentence in a legal case.
Appearing United States Lawyer Joshua S. Levy; Christopher P. Robinson, Appearing Particular Agent in Cost of the U.S. Division of Agriculture – Workplace of Inspector Normal, 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 – Legislation Enforcement Division made the announcement as we speak.
Useful 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 Lawyer Matthew T. Morris of the Justice Division’s Setting 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 Lawyer Caitlyn F. Cook dinner of ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Assets Part are prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.
The main points contained within the charging paperwork and civil forfeiture grievance are allegations. The defendant is presumed harmless except and till confirmed responsible past an inexpensive doubt in a court docket of legislation. The US should set up that the canine are topic to forfeiture by a preponderance of the proof.
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