ATLANTA — A Georgia man has been sentenced in a multi-state dog fighting operation, prosecutors announced Friday.
Armard Davis, who went by the moniker "Black Jack" is a Fort Valley resident. He was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison followed by four years of supervised release. He previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances along with conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. Davis and his co-conspirators will not be eligible for parole - he is the final defendant of 21 looped into the case.
“Coupling armed drug distribution with the cruel abuse of animals makes an already horrible situation even worse; the significant sentences in this case send the message that such conduct is unwelcome in Middle Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary in a prepared statement.
Court documents show that the organized dog fighting was based out of Roberta, Georgia and extended into north Georgia, Florida and Alabama from May 2019 through February 2020.
Law enforcement executed 15 home search warrants where they seized more than 150 dogs that were being used for fighting in 2020, prosecutors said.
Photos: 168 dogs rescued, search warrants executed in multiple Georgia counties
Authorities said the dogs were visibly hurt. Some had scarring, broken legs, and open bleeding wounds - all injuries consistent with abuse and dog fighting.
According to prosecutors, agents also seized scales, weighted collars, heavy chains, ground stakes and miscellaneous pedigree and medical supplies to treat animal injuries. Illegal drugs and firearms were also recovered via the search warrants.
Participants of the orchestrated dog fighting operations and drug ring are being held accountable for the distribution of approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine and 179 grams of methamphetamine, a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office of the Middle District of Georgia said.
“The barbaric practice of pitting animals against each other in a fight to the death has no place in this country,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
