Sumter (WLTX) - Seven people have been arrested after Sumter Deputies broke up an illegal dog fighting ring.
Officials got a tip that there were at least six dogs being fought at 2450 Lisbon Drive in Sumter County, the home of 42-year-old Betty Simms.
When deputies got there and saw the dogs fighting themselves, that's when they say they arrested the following individuals: Simms, 18-year-old Willie Davis, 17-year-old Chedric Jones, 20-year-old Weldon Jackson, 22-year-old Christopher Miller, and 23-year-old Tony Mickens all of Sumter and 21-year-old Milton Gaymon of Pinewood.
All seven have been charged with dog fighting and animal cruelty. Major Larry Florence with the Sumter County Sheriff's Department says there were at least 20 other people there who ran away when deputies arrived and he expects more arrests to come this week.
Officials say six dogs were taken from the home to the Sumter County Animal Shelter. Florence says the dogs were in pretty bad shape and he's not sure that they can be rehabilitated.
He says based on the fact that the floor of the fighting pen had been removed because it was rotting, Florence believes the ring had been going on for quite some time.
After further investigation, deputies found chains, weapons, animal medicine, and 5 marijuana plants valued at $10,000.00 in the residence and wooded area behind it.
All suspects were taken to the Sumter/Lee Regional Detention Center.
Florence says this is the first active dog fighting ring bust his agency has had in the last two or three years. The last one was on Pearsons road and it netted 41 fighting dogs.
8/9/2009 10:56:19 PM
