Atlanta- Federal authorities filed court documents outlining an alleged dogfighting operation at a property owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick as agents searched the property Friday. Vick is not named in the documents.
The documents filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Richmond and obtained Friday by The Associated Press contain the address of the home that has been the center of the investigation.
According to the documents, dog fights have been sponsored by “Bad Newz Kennels” at the property since at least 2002. For the events, participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas and other states.
Members of the venture also knowingly transported, delivered and received dogs for animal fighting, the documents state.
Fifty-four animals were recovered from the property during searches in April, along with a “rape stand,” used to hold dogs in place for mating; an electric treadmill modified for dogs; and a bloodied piece of carpeting, the documents said.
The property was used as the “main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved in the dog fighting venture,” according to the filings.
The documents said the fights usually occurred late at night or in the early morning and would last several hours. The winning dog would win from “100’s up to 1,000’s of dollars,” and participants and spectators also would place bets on the fight.
Fights would end when one dog died or the surrender of the losing dog, which was sometimes put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method, according to the documents.
During a June search of the property, investigators uncovered the graves of seven pit bulls that were killed by members of “Bad Newz Kennels” following sessions to test whether dogs would be good fighters, the documents said.
Members of “Bad Newz Kennels” also sponsored and exhibited fights in other parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and other states, the filings said.