SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Legal professional Brandon B. Brown introduced that Charles Calvin Akins, 52, of Many, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Choose Elizabeth E. Foote to fifteen months in jail, adopted by 2 years of supervised launch.
Akins was charged in a federal indictment in February 2022 and pleaded responsible to the cost of possession of a canine to be used in an animal preventing enterprise. This cost is a results of an investigation by regulation enforcement brokers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) into unlawful actions of Akins. Akins is a convicted felon, having been convicted of a felony cost of carnal data of a juvenile in 1988, in addition to misdemeanor convictions for aggravated assault and unauthorized use of a movable in 2016.
On January 19, 2022, brokers with the ATF obtained a federal search warrant for Akins’ residence in Many, Louisiana. Whereas planning the execution of the search warrant, brokers noticed 15 pit bull kind canine within the yard of Akins’ residence. The canine had been chained in shut proximity to one another however outdoors of biting attain and every canine had entry to a small picket construction. Throughout the execution of the search warrant, brokers noticed the canine, their chains, and their plywood constructions. Every construction was surrounded by a round path or “chain path.” The chain paths seemed to be worn grime that the canine would traverse round their plywood constructions because of the restrictions of their chains.
Inside a close-by shed was a selfmade treadmill with a small, dog-sized operating belt product of picket slats. These treadmills are generally utilized by canine fighters to coach and situation their canine for fights. Inside one other shed, brokers discovered a pistol subsequent to a big toolbox containing a big metallic spring machine, metallic scale, and animal medicines, in addition to a number of heavy metallic chains and metallic stakes, a dog-breeding machine and quite a few carpet items. All of these things are generally utilized by canine fighters to coach and strengthen their canine’ chew, weigh sport canine as they prepare and put together them for upcoming fights, and for power conditioning of the sport canine. Items of carpet are additionally generally utilized by animal fighters to line preventing pits and supply traction for his or her sport canine. The canine had been seized and given behavioral and medical assessments. A number of of the canine had scars and wounds across the again legs, neck and rear, and displayed dog-aggressive habits towards different canine.
Akins admitted to proudly owning and possessing the 15 canine at his residence, together with the dog-fighting tools discovered there. He additionally admitted that the canine had been possessed to be used in dog-fighting occasions which might be carried out between a minimum of two animals for functions of sport, wagering, or leisure, and that such dog-fighting occasions affected interstate commerce.
“Canine preventing will not be solely in opposition to the regulation, however an inhumane means of treating animals,” mentioned U.S. Legal professional Brandon B. Brown. “People who take part in such a exercise must be conscious that it’s unlawful to take part or wager in canine or cock fights. This workplace will proceed to work with federal and native regulation enforcement businesses to place a cease to this sort of exercise within the Western District of Louisiana.”
The case was investigated by the ATF and FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Legal professional Brian C. Flanagan.
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