The final defendant prosecuted as part of an extensive investigation into a dogfighting and drug distribution network was sentenced for his crimes in federal court.
Herman Tyrone Washington, 51, of Highland Springs, Virginia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne for the Eastern District of Virginia to serve 46 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Washington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of a pitbull-type dog for the purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. As a condition of his supervised release, Washington is prohibited from owning or possessing dogs or their reproductive cells.
Washington was the last of seven individuals charged in this conspiracy. Collectively, the individuals were sentenced to a total of 534 months imprisonment, and each will serve a multi-year period of supervised release. Like Washington, the other defendants are prohibited from owning or possessing dogs during their supervised release.
According to information in the public record, in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating several individuals in connection with a drug investigation. Through court-authorized electronic surveillance of co-conspirator Kenneth Otey’s phone, law enforcement officers analyzed over 400 conversations between the co-conspirators discussing their involvement and participation in dogfighting activities over two months. The ensuing investigation revealed that between December 2017 and August 2021, the conspirators organized contract matches (an agreed-upon fight negotiated by two parties for dogs of a specific weight and gender to take place on a set date, with an established purse and forfeit) and roll fights (a short fight between two dogs to test the dogs’ fighting abilities, usually for the purpose of sport and entertainment). They also transported dogs in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to participate in dog fights; bred and trained dogs to fight; and at least one of the conspirators killed losing dogs by drowning them in buckets of water. The conspirators used private messaging applications, including Meta and Telegram, to communicate with other people including to coordinate fights and post videos of fights and training techniques. They collectively sponsored an animal in or attended at least 100 dog fights during the conspiracy.
In November and December 2020, law enforcement executed six residential search warrants and seized 93 dogs that were being used in connection with the dogfighting criminal organization. The Court found the animal fighting venture to involve extraordinary cruelty and to be of exceptional scale.
The following co-conspirators have been convicted and sentenced in this prosecution:
Kenneth L. Otey, Jr., 48, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced to a total term of 300 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two drug offenses, a firearm offense, and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture.
Connell Samuel Stukes, Sr., 49, of Rembert, South Carolina, was sentenced to a total term of 63 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of a pit bull-type dog for purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture.
Raymond Johnson, 42, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced to a total term of 37 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to a firearm offense and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture.
Jerome Donte Smith, 35, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced to a total term of 37 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and sponsoring an animal in an animal fighting venture. At the time of his offense conduct, Smith was on supervised release in connection with a prior federal drug conviction.
Antonio Thomas Ruffin, 55, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to a total term of 36 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to transporting a pit bull-type dog for the purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture and possession of an animal for the purpose of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture.
Royal Washington, 51, of Charles City, Virginia, was sentenced to a term of 15 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture.
