Former NFL Player Sentenced in Largest Dog-fighting Seizure
LeShon Johnson, a former NFL player from Oklahoma, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for running a large-scale dog-fighting and trafficking operation.
He must also serve three years of supervised release and pay a $30,000 fine after federal authorities seized 190 dogs from his property.
The U.S. Department of Justice describes it as the largest number ever seized from a single individual in a federal dog-fighting case.
Johnson had pleaded guilty to state dog-fighting offenses before, but he went on to run another operation, breeding and trafficking hundreds of dogs for fighting around the country.
The jury heard how he sold puppies from sought-after fighting bloodlines and charged fees for the right to breed with his male dogs, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The sentence holds one man accountable, but it cannot undo what those dogs endured.
It does not stop the cycle that keeps producing more animals who can be neglected, exploited, abandoned, or forced to fight.
This is why our work at 600MillionDogs goes beyond responding to individual cases of cruelty.
Our mission is to end the #1 cause of suffering and death for dogs and cats — overpopulation — by developing a Cookie that will only need to be eaten one time, and it will, in effect, spay or neuter — without surgery.
Will you help make that future possible?
While we work to develop the Cookie and prevent future suffering, your support helps animals suffering today.
$15 monthly donation: Vaccinates 2 dogs and 2 cats from deadly diseases every month: rabies, parvovirus, and feline vaccinations.
$25 monthly donation: Heals 3 rescued animals a month, removing the parasites, infections, and dental abscesses that keep them from recovering.
$50 one-time donation: Emergency care for 2 dogs or cats hit by a car to get them back on their feet: x-rays, IV fluids, pain relief, and antibiotics.
Thank you for caring and for helping animals!
Sources:
[1] U.S. Department of Justice, “Former NFL Player Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Operating Large-Scale Dog Fighting and Breeding Operation,” September 10, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-nfl-player-sentenced-5-years-prison-operating-large-scale-dog-fighting-and
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