Three men were sentenced on dog fighting charges after being arrested for running a dog fighting location over a year ago, the Cook County Sheriff's office announced Monday.
Donaver Jones, 39, was found guilty of providing a place for a dogfight. Melvin Trent, 38, and Timothy Norris, 36, were found guilty of promoting a dogfight, according to a release from the Cook County Sheriff’s office. All three men were arrested in November 2008 when officers busted a dogfight at 66th St. in Chicago.
"I can't begin to explain to you the condition these two dogs were in the night that we came in on the dog fight," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart on Monday.
Jones, Trent and Norris were sentenced with 24 months probation, must attend anger management classes and must have no contact with companion animals. They must also pay $3,612 each to reimburse the cost of rehabilitation for their dogs, Brutus and Rebus, and an additional $3,000 each for fees acquired by Chicago Animal Care and Control, who housed the rescued dogs.
Brutus and Remus are both alive and healthy, despite Brutus sustaining life-threatening injuries from the dogfights.
"The taxpayers aren't paying for any of it. The perpetrators are paying for all the care that they've gone through, to date, and they're also paying for them to be taken care of for the rest of their lives," Dart said.
At the bust, police found steroids, amphetamines, syringes and an IV drip used to keep the dogs aggressive.
Police also found dozens of people betting on the 2008 fight, fifty of which were faced with misdemeanor charges of attending a dogfight. Spectators included two teenaged boys and a pregnant woman.
Dart made targeting dog fighting a priority when he took office in 2006. Brutus and Remus, two of the few animals rescued from the vicious sport, will now be able to enjoy a life of relaxation and safety.
