Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Alabama Man Sentenced to 10 Years and Ordered to Pay $548,449 After 78 Dogs Rescued

Prosecutors say the case highlights the cruelty of organized dog fighting, links to illegal weapons possession, signals tougher federal enforcement

Overview

  • A federal judge sentenced Carlton Lenard Adams to 120 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing dogs for fighting and to possessing firearms as a felon.
  • The court ordered Adams to pay $548,449 to cover care for 78 pit bull–type dogs that investigators seized from three Jefferson County properties.
  • Officials said many of the animals had scars, injuries, or showed signs of severe neglect and that officers found training gear and veterinary supplies used in fighting operations.
  • Investigators also recovered two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun described as a “Street Sweeper,” a weapon classed as a destructive device under federal law.
  • The dogs were placed in a U.S. Marshals Service care program and, after a civil forfeiture action, were rehabilitated and evaluated for adoption instead of being returned to Adams.