The Antelope Valley Times

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UPDATED: Authorities bust dog fighting ring, arrest 12

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Several dogs at the house showed scars believed to have been caused by previous fights. Photo by LASD.

ANTELOPE VALLEY – A tip on a pending dog fight led to the arrest of 12 people in Littlerock Saturday. The following is the press report from the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau:

Fighting dogs were tied to stakes in the yard.

On the morning of June 23, 2012, the Humane Society of the United States received a tip on their dog fighting hotline that a man was taking his dog to be involved in a dog fight.

Humane Society hotline officials contacted deputies with the Community Oriented Policing Services Bureau (COPS) of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, who conducted a surveillance of the man and his dog.

The suspect traveled to several locations in the Antelope Valley, eventually arriving at a house in the 8900 block of East Avenue T-12, in the unincorporated community of Littlerock on Saturday, which is policed by the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

When sheriff’s deputies approached the house, they saw eight pit bull dogs which appeared to be fighting dogs, some of which were tied to stakes in the yard. The dogs were kept apart from each other at the property so they would be ready to fight.

A dog fighting ring and a treadmill-type machine used for the forced physical conditioning of the dogs was held as evidence.

Several dogs showed scars believed to have been caused by previous fights. They also found medical supplies, including syringes and medication allegedly used to treat dogs after they were wounded in fights. Scales used to weigh dogs and a study guide on the breeding of dogs and dog fighting was recovered.

A dog fighting ring and a treadmill type machine (made of wooden slats) used for the forced physical conditioning of the dogs was held as evidence.

Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control responded to the scene, assisted in the investigation, and took control of the dogs.

The man deputies had been following, as well as the homeowner and ten other adults, were detained and eventually arrested for felony dogfighting or felony aiding and abetting a dogfight.

UPDATED 6/24/2012: The 12 men arrested for dogfighting Saturday evening, at the 8900 Block of East Avenue T-12 in Littlerock, have been identified as:

  1. Authorities found medical supplies used to treat dogs after they were wounded in fights.

    Paul Manuel Wilhite, 48, Male, Black, Resident [of the house with dog fighting ring]

  2. George Allen Jones, 60, Male, Black of Lancaster
  3. Adan Manzo, 36, Male, Hispanic of Palmdale
  4. Miguel Angel Leon, 37, Male, Hispanic of Littlerock
  5. Cornelius Bailey, 58, Male, Black of Barstow
  6. Cornelius Bailey III (son), 35, Male, Black of Compton
  7. Theron Lee Mahone, 44, Male, Black of Los Angeles
  8. Kevin Benard Thomas, 46, Male, Black of San Bernardino
  9. Jeffrey Reyes Tedtaotao, 36, Male, Other race of Bellflower
  10. Julio A. Chavez, 47, Male, Hispanic of Orange
  11. Herman Ceasar, 62, Male, Hispanic of San Bernardino
  12. Jeremy Maril Anderson, 43, Male, Black of Victorville

The suspects were booked at Palmdale Sheriff’s Station and are being held in lieu of $20,000 bail. Suspect Wilhite, the resident of the location, was additionally booked on three outstanding traffic warrants totaling $199,000. The suspects will be arraigned on Tuesday, June 26, 2012, at the Antelope Valley Courthouse.

(Information via press report from the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau.)

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75 comments for "UPDATED: Authorities bust dog fighting ring, arrest 12"

  1. Maurice Love…you still don’t get it. The responsibility of pet ownership is that of the human…ALL BREEDS deserve to be treated in a humane way. Pits have been abused by to many humans and now get a bad rap. Humans Maurice!

    • DG –

      It’s unfortunate that two “people” procreated and here you are, but now that we’re stuck with you, please, do us a favor and whenever making statements, please be sure to back them up with facts. It’s hard to do – I know – and I don’t expect it coming from someone such as yourself, however, it’s worth asking. Even ids have proven to surprise…

  2. Thank you Maurice, i have no tolerance for regurgitated HSUS/ASPCA propaganda, to many false premises…

  3. I have an idea, why don’t all you tree huggin whiney b!tches read a f’ing book. Dog fighting was legal all the way up to 1976 that is well with in all our life times. Now here is my point, all the information you people are speuing if a bunch of BS, you want people to get the chair for fighting dogs? Look what Vick is doing with his second chance, its not like someone died here. APBT (american pitbull terriers) have been combat dogs forover 200 years (read a f’ing book) and you can not just create that (which man did create the BREED of pitbull w/selective breeding)and then some decades later when people become all sensative and politically correct and then ban the entire breed. I WW1 the pitbull was the AMERICAN SYMBOL FOR COURAGE AND THE NEVER QUIT MENTALITY, entire families in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s would attend dog matches, and it was completely legal to fight your dog on the corner until 1976. There are no bad dogs just bad owners, these dogs are not programed to attach people this is a faxct, if the dog attached a person it likely was not a fighting dog but a truely abused dog. These dogs are not taught or tormented into fighting, it is instilled in them from birth just like it is for a horse to run. An yes I know a wealth about dog fighting because I owned the breed and read books on the history of the breed and certain indaviduals of the breed and breeders in general, I bred APBT for 20 years and although I no longer breed dogs I still am amazed at bthe ignorance that the general public shows in regards to the breed and the history of dog fighting and how it relates to America as it is a huge part of our history weather you like it or not. There are biugger problems in the USA like child abduction, molestation, drugs, child hunger, homeless, the ecomony, the job market and many more things. Maybe you folks shoud A. Read a f’ing book about this so you know more and educate yourselves before making an a$$nine statement that someone should “get the chair”, B. consentrait all this anger and energy on something like child hunger in the USA, or C. SHUT THE F*#&CK up and clean up your own back yard…

    Love,

    Maurice Carver

    • wow Maurice, you are so defensive.. you are protesting way to much..hmmm! and, this form of lowlife activity hasnt been legal since 1976, as you say, so why are these scum (including top scum michael vick, at least he got payback) still doing it? I think it shows how ignorant some people are..to resort to cruelty for monatary gain or a thrill..and, yes, animals have died and suffered because stupid people like you think this kind of behaviour is ok..just because it was legal at one time.. I sure as heck hope you don’t own any animals.. God look out for them if you do..

      • Geeez…I hope he doesn’t have any kids…probably not to busy reading his fing books!

    • Murice… a lot of things were legal at one time, but no longer are. Deal with that.

      “Look what Vick is doing with his second chance, its not like someone died here”

      Did humans die because of low-life Vick? No. Did his dogs die? Yes.

      “consentrait all this anger and energy on something like…”

      Interesting comment, coming from someone who used the F-word numerous times in your latest rant.

      So why not educate us tree huggers? How are these animals conditioned to fight? Please explain in detail how the fight takes place, and when it ends. Tell us what professional medical care is provided to these animals during/after a fight (and tell us why medical care is needed). Tell us what happens to the animals when they can no longer fight.

      Lastly, tell us why it is now illegal.. No, please don’t say “because of the tree huggers”, give us the real reason (according to the gov’t) why they felt the need to ban it.

      • Hey dipsh!t you sure ask a lot of question that can be answered by READING A F’ING BOOK!!! Try Dogs of Satin and Steel, or the World of the American Pitbull Terrier by Richard F. Stratton it has the complete history of the dogs all of the rules of engagement, also the Truth about the American Pitbull Terrier also by Richard F. Stratton. All of your cop like question can be easliy answered by what I suggested in the first place, EDUCATION. And yes I own a dog, its called a Patterdale Terrier, it is a hunting dog, I legally hunt Boar, Fox, Racoon, Opossum, Rabbit and anything else I can eat that my 17lb dog will drag down, go a ground and kill. See here is the problem in this deal here, all of you know little to nothing about the breed so you are quick to judge, I myself feel comfortable with my knowledge of the breed and that no matter what I say or do that kids will be kidnapped, kids will be molested, drugs will be sold, people will OD on those drugs, kids will go hungry, mothers and fathers will be jobless and homless, see these are the REAL CONSERNING PROBLEMS to me but nothing I say or do (unless I catch someone in the act) will change this, and also no matter how loud you cry someone somewhere is fighting dogs, in Mexico, Russia, the Middle East, China, Thai land, and right here in America it is happening. So I choose to be educated on these subjects instead of just being ignorant and saying PEOPLE should DIE. You know you HSUS (humane society) kills 100,000 thousand dogs a year because you a$$holes won’t feed those dogs, I don’t hear you pissing and moaning about that. You HSUS is being sued for tax evasion and PETA is also being sued and people convicted for putting dogs down with out a lisence and in state they had no legal right to do so, I don’t hear you crying about that. Why don’t you cry about the freaks that bomb abortion clinics and that actually KILL PEOPLE??? You folks are fanatical and want a witch hunt and these fools fall into your judgement trap, see they are CAUGHT and are GOINZG TO JAIL, NAMES IN THE PAPER and their lives will be ruined but that is not enough for you f*%ckers you want AMERICAN TO DIE??? and if any one of you were educated on pitbulls you would know who Maurice Carver was, but you don’t which is why you all need to be more educated by books and not MEDIA…
        Love,

        Maurice Carver

        • yeah i understand everything that you are saying, but there are a bunch of so call educated scholars on this site that will pick you apart just because of grammer!!but yes sir i hear you !!

          • Game to the bone like Dibo, a great house dog for 4 years and then a great fighting dog that is surely in the back of every pitbulls pedigree. See just because the dog was used for fighting does not mean the dogs are not good for anything else this is what these fools do not understand, 90% of vicks dogs were adopted out and rehabilitated but I can assure you the 8 dogs taken from this raid will get no such of a chance, they are probably either already dead or waiting on doggy death row…

            Love,

            Maurice Carver

          • They were killed by your beloved HSUS like 100,000 other dogs were this year.. Food for thought…

            Love,

            Maurice Carver

          • So Maurice, I took your advise, and decided to read a book. I chose: The Lost Dogs.

            http://amzn.com/B007PLZZ52

            “As that dog lay on the ground, fighting for air, Quanis Phillips grabbed its front legs and Michael Vick grabbed its back legs. They swung the dog over their head like a jump rope then slammed it to the ground. The first impact didn’t kill it. So, Phillips and Vick slammed it again. The two men kept at it, alternating back and forth, pounding the creature against the ground until, at last, the little red dog was dead.”

          • Exactly becuz they were close to death from fighting. Vicks peeps would have zapped them anyway with no remorse. It is the ignorant & neglectful pet owners that send the helpless animals to the death chamber. Responsibility for ALL breeds!

          • why are you guys keep going on about this vick,is he all that you guys know? he is the only fuel that you guys have when you are talking about pits dogs,and he wasn’t even a real pit dog man. guy’s this man just gave you names of books authors and so on and so forth,he even went as far as given you a little history..why you keep arguing the truth ??

          • Um, dibo… in case you didn’t know, it was your buddy Maurice who started the Vick discussion here.

          • @….on-Where do I start with this f%*cking idiot, first off READ A BOOK ABOUT THE DOGS AND NOT CONVICTED ANIMAL ABUSER’S, the whole point of my post becaue everyone is so quick to judge others and wish death upon someone you don’t even know. Educate yourself on the subject of what you are talking or complaining about that way you don’t sound like a f%*cking fool. YOu asked a question about why the governement outlawed dogfigting, one thing that had gotten it outlawed was gambling, in the 70’s you could fight your dog on the street leagally just as long as you were not betting, now is dogfighting the right thing to do??? NO it is not but neither is a million other things, such as wishing death upon people you don’t know, get where I’m going with this? These guys will pay you don’t need to be a malicious mob to get your point across. Now you taking a small quote from a book of an uneducated person abusing an animal in a far worse way then letting it fight isn’t reading a book fool. Read one of the books I recommended and you will have a better understanding of the breed and trust me you will admire that dog and its ability, strength, loyalty, intelligence, and flat out heart then any other breed of dogs. The most certificated dog in search and rescue, hearding, schutzhund, agility, and many other titles. See what everyone does not understand is the real loser in all this is the breed of the AMERCAN PITBULL TERRIER, I almost consider them an endanger species because in 15 years they will be banned in every state and a true beautiful part of american history will be gone forever in the USA. Its funny because you are the exact kind of person that tries to censor me from saying f%*ck when I have pre censored it already you miserable piece of sh!t, these guys will pay their debt to society by the letter of the law that we the people vote for, if you want dogfighting to be a capitol offense take it to the washington and get it passed, good luck, I personally think this is bad but not nearly as bad as a vietnam vet going hungry, a little kid sleeping in a shelter, f%*cking crack dealers in my own hood slinging dope to kids on the streets of my town. I see a$$holes like you acting like this is the end of the world and think I am glad I don’t live in that world…

            Love,

            Maurice Carver

            P.S. F#CK YOU :)

          • Maurice (Really? Momma named you that?).. you are an idiot.

            This whole thread is about those that abuse animals.

            We might actually agree that if it wasn’t for those losers who breed/abuse them, this might actually be a more accepted dog.

            Once again, you show your education level… when you have nothing else left to say, you resort to name calling..

            Oh, and why would you want to “F” me? Are you gay, too? Sorry, but I don’t roll that way.

          • No I’m here dipsh!t #2, I don’t read propaganda, I read facts and history not fantasy and f%*cking bullsh!t.. This will be my last post as I feel so sorry for the breed of the AMERICAN PITBULL TERRIER people like you have doomed this dog to vanish in the very country it was born in. At on time there was a pitbull in almost every american home in the 1900’s now this dog that helped build this country will fight for its very existence. I can not educate fools that will not educate themself’s on a subject they have no idea about.

            Love,

            Maurice Carver

            P.S. F#CK YOU TOO

          • Yes! Finally, Maurice is not going to post anymore here. About time!

            Good riddance, loser!

        • This guy is another loser, who can’t answer a simple question (probably because he doesn’t really know the answers, or is afraid to state them, because it will prove his point wrong). He also can’t respond without the colorful language, which also shows a weakness for being able to actually communicate.

    • The only thing that made any sene in your rant was, “there are bigger problems in the USA like child abduction, molestation, drugs, child hunger, homeless, the ecomony, the job market and many more things.”
      Everything else pretty much sums up what is wrong with people like you.

      • Thugger ur right on…but the idiot still deserves his freedom of speeh. Unfortunately!

      • YOu don’t even know me but you want to judge me??? There is only one qualified to do that, the Lord himself and you surely are not him, repent fool…

        Love,

        Maurice Carver

    • you’re sick, are you related to this “CRIME”, are you on crack???
      when you stood in line god forgot to give you a heart.

    • Its true, bad owners make bad dogs. Identifying your own dogs limits is the owners responsibly and it is sad that people think dogs (that have been made into working animals) are now expected to handle all situations with no stress in the hands of mediocre owners. I keep snakes and I see people often, baby talk them, try to relax them with petting, and act as though they can negotiate with the animal. It doenst work that way, with any animal. All animal problems are operator errors, and not the animals fault.

  4. Ppl make mistakes they should pay but not wit death its crazy how ppl care more bout pets then a human life kids r hungry no one doin [removed] about that but everyone going crazy for dogs tho as world is so dam crazy I swear

    • No one chooses to go hungry. They do choose to abuse animals. It’s not a mistake. It’s deliberate and they are pure evil. Attitudes like yours is why this stuff continues. Hunger is this country is a travesty that must be addressed but it’s apples and oranges. They’re not “just a dog”, they are God’s creatures.

    • So I would think you would say these scum did nothing wrong? YOU are part of the problem!

    • I guarantee you that anyone who purposely tortures and/or kill animals, couldn’t give a damned about human life. Yes, they do deserve to die. They deserve to receive the same treatment they inflicted on those animals.

      As another poster said, Shawnna is part of the problem.

      • i read this article about four time and where did they say anything about these guys killing animals ??

        • Um, do you understand how dog fighting works? What do you think these owners do, after the animal can no longer fight as well as the owner thinks they should? Do you think they send these animals to a local rescue? Dump them in the desert? Kill them on the spot instead, so they don’t have to waste more money feeding the animal?

          Is there a reason so many cities have laws regarding this breed of animal? Would it be because they have been breed to fight, that many of them are no longer safe around humans?

          • my friend i know more than what you can imagine,and i didn’t learn about this stupied sport from the media !!! some of what you say is right,but some of what you say is media talk !!

          • one part is being safe around humans! these dogs are not breed to attack people for number one because of the way that the match is set up you have to have a referee in that little box while the match goes on and the people who handle the dogs are in the box as well and if one of the guys dog bite a man the person automatic loses his money !!that why they don’t breed for man bitters ..

          • So the cities with ordinances against these breeds are without merit? Insurance companies refusing to insure you if you own one of these breeds is without merit? Did the media fake the stories about people (often children) getting attacked?

            I will be the first to admit, that the breed itself is probably not the problem, and we shouldn’t blindly outlaw the entire breed. But, isn’t it fair to assume that the “ex fighters” or those dogs that were raised to fight, will have problems in society?

          • people never look or try to understand why the dog attack the kids.. for number did you buy the dog from a back yard breeder or a replica breeder? what was the kid doing to the dog? man you can’t understand the dog until you kind of understand the wolf the kid was probaly stareing the dogs in the eye that is called for a chanllage.when the wolf is looking for a chanllage he trys to catch the other wolfs eye contact !!and the reason ins comanies and cities are banding the dogs is because they don’t understand the dog,and we have alot of unrespondabl handlers !!

    • Just curiouos Shawnna… You’re worried about what everyone (else) is doing for all the hungry kids in the world? What were those 12 blacks and hispanics doing to help the hungry kids of the world? Killing dogs. What were they doing to help better parent their own kids? They weren’t home… Oh, that’s right. They weren’t home. They were out, killing dogs. At least they had the decency to hold their dog fights in the evening, so the organizers and attendees could pick up their welfare checks during business hours.

  5. This is disgusting behaviour and they deserve the electric chair in my opinion!!

  6. Scum of the Earth. Make them pay – hard! At least we’re moving in the direction of felony. They’
    re trash who should be shot and pissed on.

  7. Eye for an eye on this one I say. Lock them in the ring with the dogs for a bit. Let them see what it like to get mauled to death, and die a slow and miserable death. Bastards! It’s guys like this that give Pits a bad name. Sad thing is, they will get a little a jail time and a fine, and they will be back at it again.

    • The dogs wouldn’t attack them. The dogs are made to attack eachother and teased and tormented to fight eachother. Did you see how timid the dogs were with Animal Control staff as they were being put into the trucks. They belly crawl trying to avoid confrontation.
      I hope these guys go to he((.

  8. So thankful so many others out here have the same sentiments as me. We all might not agree on alot of things, but I’m glad this is one that we can…

  9. 7 blacks. 4 hispanics, and one “other”. 12 worthless low-lifes.

    Thanks to whoever tipped off the Humane Society!

  10. I hope this worthless piece of [removed] rott in hell!! And pay they price for what they di
    I have 2 Pitt bulls myself and I love my dogs very dearly…
    BASTER!!! GET A JOB LOWLIFES…

  12. I hope these guys all go to jail. Talk about a secret society, that’s what dog fighting is. Thank you to whoever reported this. You deserve a reward, a cash reward.

    • I agree 100%….maybe we should feed them all to their dogs & save the taxpayer’s some $$…

      • Pitbulls have sensitive stomach and they would probably get sick. With that said, I am all for saving taxpayer money. I say line them up, tie them to the fence and get out the ranch rifle.

        • Stupid ass holes…….hope they go to jail for a long time, but they will not…….look at that Vick dude……..I say eye for an eye, put them in a pen and let there dogs fight then….

          • Then for community service they should have to work at nursing homes taking care of old people, with supervision of course.Not at animal control where they can be mean to dogs and cats, Probably will not be allowed around animals for a year or two. Wow, their kids career day at school must have been interesting.”My Dad’s fight’s dogs for a living”. uh no.