ANIMALS
Defense Department Official Charged With Running A Dogfighting Ring
Department Of Defense
A senior Defense Department official and another man have been charged with running an organized dogfighting ring, and using jumper cables to kill dogs that lost fights, the Maryland U.S. Attorneys Office announced Monday.
Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, and Mario Damon Flythe, age 49, were charged with promoting and furthering animal fighting venture, and had their initial court appearances on Sept. 28.
Moorefield is the Pentagons deputy chief information officer for command, control, and communications, and according to his LinkedIn profile, joined the Defense Department in 2008. Prior to that, he worked for the U.S. Air Force, according to his profile.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Moorefield and Flythe allegedly used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with individuals across the country about dogfighting. Moorefield used the name Geehad Kennels, apparently pronounced like jihad, and Flythe used Razor Sharp Kennels to identify their dogfighting operations.
Moorefield, Flythe and their associates on the app discussed how to train dogs for illegal dogfighting, exchanged videos about dogfighting, and arranged and coordinated dogfights, according to the affidavit. Moorefield and Flythe also discussed betting on dogfighting, discussed dogs that died as a result of dogfighting, and circulated media reports about dogfighters who had been caught by law enforcement, the Maryland U.S. Attorneys Office office said.
Search warrants were executed at both of their residences in Maryland on Sept. 6, and 12 dogs were seized by the federal government. According to the affidavit, five pit-bull type dogs were kept in small cages in Moorefield’s unfinished basement.
Investigators found evidence of dog training, weighted collars and heavy metal chains. Officers also seized veterinary steroids, training schedules, a carpet that appeared to be stained with blood, as well as a device with an electrical plug and jumper cables, which the affidavit alleges was used to execute dogs that lose dogfights.
Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman confirmed that the Defense Department is aware of the case.
“We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace, but we cannot comment further on an individual personnel matter,” Gorman said.
TMX contributed to this article.
