Off to prison: Former NFL star LeShon Johnson sentenced to five years for brutal dogfighting ring in Oklahoma
Authorities seized 190 dogs from Johnson in what prosecutors called a years-long operation built for profit
L eShon Johnson ’s NFL career ended more than two decades ago, but the former New York Giants running back is now facing a far more serious legacy after being sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale dogfighting operation.
Johnson was ordered to serve 60 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, and was fined $30,000 after being convicted on six dogfighting-related felony counts.
The case was notable not only because of Johnson ’s background as a former professional athlete, but because of the scale of the operation federal authorities said he built.
“LeShon Johnson will face justice for building another particularly egregious and violent dog fighting scheme,” Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. said.
“As Johnson was well aware, dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states. To anyone attempting to build violent and illicit business schemes: you can run, but you can’t hide from the Department of Justice.”
Federal authorities seized 190 dogs
Prosecutors said Johnson had been running a major breeding and trafficking operation since at least 2007 under the name “Mal Kant Kennels.”
Authorities seized 190 dogs from his property, which the Justice Department described as the largest number ever taken from a single individual in a federal dogfighting case.
Evidence presented at trial showed Johnson advertised dogs as “champions” and “grand champions,” labels referring to animals that had won three or five fights.
He also sold puppies from bloodlines associated with fighting success and charged stud fees for breeding rights.
“The defendant operated a business which promoted and profited from animal cruelty,” U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson said.
Johnson had previously pleaded guilty to dogfighting offenses in Oklahoma in 2004 and had operated another kennel known as “Krazyside Kennels.”
Attorney argued prison was unnecessary
Johnson ’s defense attempted to convince the court that incarceration was not warranted because of his health.
Attorney Billy Coyle IV said Johnson suffers from Parkinson’s disease, severe dementia and the effects of multiple concussions and traumatic brain injuries from his football career.
Coyle also said Johnson has relied on a caretaker for the past two years and had remained compliant while on pretrial release.
“The main point was just to show the court that he’d been out on bond for pretrial release for over two years,” Coyle said. “He’s got no infractions whatsoever. He doesn’t drink. He doesn’t smoke. I don’t think the necessity of sending him to prison or jail was necessary.”
The judge ultimately disagreed and imposed the five-year sentence.
Johnson was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round in 1994 and later played for the Arizona Cardinals and Giants .
He finished his NFL career with 1,389 yards from scrimmage, seven touchdowns and 43 receptions. Now, his name is tied not to what he did on the field, but to one of the largest federal dogfighting seizures ever recorded.
