A southwest Georgia man, known in dog control circles as a breeder and trainer, has been found guilty of dozens of federal charges after authorities rescued 67 abused dogs from his rural property.
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Don Bradford, of Seal, Georgia, was found guilty Tuesday of 69 charges, including 67 counts of possession of dogs for use in animal fighting, as well as drug manufacturing and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime.
The ruling came after a two-day trial in Albany, the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia announced.
Braford now faces the possibility of life in prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
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Prosecutors say the case exposed the brutal reality of dog fighting and its connection to other serious crimes, including drugs and illegal weapons.
US Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia: “The cruel and inhumane reality of dog fighting is closely linked to illegal drugs, firearms and other serious crimes.”
He credited a concerned citizen whose complaint eventually led investigators to the property and shut down what authorities described as a “long-term operation.”
The investigation began when the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and law enforcement responded to a complaint about chained and abandoned animals on the 17-acre Bradford property. Deputies said they found several pit bull dogs chained up outside, some of which showed aggression toward each other. Federal agents were called and search warrants were obtained.
Agents rescued 67 dogs, many of them chained up without food, water or proper shelter. Several dogs had fresh wounds and scars consistent with dog fighting, including at least one dog with recent serious injuries, according to authorities.
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Inside a shed on the property, investigators discovered dog-fighting equipment and supplies, including veterinary medications, anabolic horse steroids, a breeding platform used to forcibly breed dogs, training and enforcement tools and paperwork documenting the history of dog fighting, officials said.
Evidence presented to the court showed that the property had been used for years to breed and train dogs to fight. Authorities also found weapons inside Bradford’s home, as well as cocaine and evidence that it was being manufactured in his kitchen, according to court documents.
All 67 dogs have been placed in protective custody and are now being cared for, giving them what officials say is “a chance at a safer future.”