DOG FIGHTING & FIREARMS CONVICTIONS SEND PANAMA CITY MEN TO FEDERAL PRISON (DOJ)

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - Fredricus White, 38, and Cornelious Johnson, 41, both of Panama City, Florida, were sentenced to federal prison for possession of fighting dogs and firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. White was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Johnson was sentenced to two years and six months. Both men are to serve their sentences consecutive to federal sentences handed down last year by a District Court Judge in Georgia for an unrelated dog fight. The defendants will be on supervised release for three years following their release from prison. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "These defendants engaged in the cruel and continued mistreatment of animals, and now they find themselves locked in a federal cell for their crimes. Dismantling this dog fighting enterprise was made possible through the outstanding investigative work of Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford's deputies and our federal law enforcement partners, and this successful prosecution was secured with excellent support from the Department of Justice's Environmental and Natural Resources Division. My office is firmly committed to ending the cruel infliction of pain on animals purely for sport and financial gain in the Northern District of Florida."

Court documents reflect that White and Johnson entered into a conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act from 2018 through February 2024, by participating in organized dog fighting, to include breeding fighting dogs, participating in gambling involving illegal dog fights, and training dogs to participate in dog fights. White and Johnson were previously arrested in Georgia for participating in a dog fight in 2022. Federal arrest warrants in February 2024 for the Georgia dog fight led to the discovery of two rural Panama City area properties where White and Johnson had continued to keep, breed, and train fighting dogs. White's residence was also searched, and three firearms were found. White was prohibited from possessing firearms due to felony convictions in 2009 and 2012. As part of the case, authorities seized twenty-seven dogs from the properties. The dogs were surrendered to the United States Marshals Service, who handle the care and rehabilitation of seized animals for the United States government.

"The Bay County Sheriff's Office stands up for victims who have a voice and for those who cannot speak for themselves," said Sheriff Tommy Ford. "This type of conduct will not be tolerated in our community, and we hope this sends a clear message to anyone who intends to harm our pets."

"We are glad to partner with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida to bring perpetrators of dog fighting to justice," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). "Dog fighting is a vicious crime that's often connected with other criminal activity. ENRD's Environmental Crimes Section is proud to work with our colleagues throughout the Department of Justice to enforce the law."

The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Kaitlin Weiss with assistance from ENRD's Environmental Crimes Section.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.