Anne Arundel men, including Department of Defense Deputy Chief, charged with facilitating dogfighting ring
BALTIMORE - A federal official and another man were charged with facilitating a dogfighting ring in Anne Arundel County, officials said.
Frederick Douglass Moorefield, who is a Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications, for Office of the Secretary of Defense from Arnold, and Mario Damon Flythe, from Glen Burnie, have been charged with promoting and furthering animal fighting ventures.
They were ordered to be released pending trial under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Moorefield and Flythe used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with individuals throughout the United States to discuss dogfighting
Moorefield used the name "Geehad Kennels" and Flythe used the name "Razor Sharp Kennels" to identify their respective dogfighting operations.
For example, as detailed in the affidavit, Moorefield, Flythe and their associates used the encrypted messaging application to discuss how to train dogs for illegal dogfighting, exchanged videos about dogfighting, and arranged and coordinated dogfights.
Moorefield and Flythe also discussed betting on dogfighting, discussed dogs that died as a result of dogfighting, and circulated media reports about dogfighters who had been caught by law enforcement, according to the Department of Justice.
As further alleged in the affidavit, Moorefield and others also discussed how to conceal their conduct from law enforcement
On September 6, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Moorefield and Flythe's residences in Maryland.
Following the execution of these warrants, 12 dogs were recovered and seized by the federal government.
Law enforcement also recovered veterinary steroids, training schedules, a carpet that appeared to be stained with blood, and a weighted dog vest with a patch reading "Geehad Kennels."
In addition, law enforcement officers seized a device consisting of an electrical plug and jumper cables, which the affidavit alleges is consistent with devices used to execute dogs that lose dogfights, according to documents.
