Dog Fighting

Dog Fighting

Benton County dogfighting suspects’ names released
Apr 3, 2013

The final number of people arrested at a dog fight in Benton County over the weekend is 52, according to a list released by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday.

Officials said some of those arrested are “major players” in the national dog fight scene.

Between 15-20 dogs were also rescued. Two of them were fighting at the time police arrived, and the others were being held in vehicles awaiting their turn to fight.

“This was one of the premiere dogfights in the country, if you will,” said Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Dickerson on Monday. “They have five or six a year according to our intelligence.”

Police believe there could be others who escaped through the woods because they confiscated upwards of 70 cars. They also recovered around $100,000 and expected that total to rise as they continued to inventory the confiscated vehicles.

According to Mississippi Code, anyone fighting a dog or holding a dog fight can be fined up to $5,000 and may spend up to three years in the state penitentiary. Those convicted of watching a dog fight can be fined up to $5,000 and may spend up to a year in prison.

Investigators are still looking for those who may have escaped the dog fighting ring, and the Humane Society is offering up to a $5,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to a conviction.

Those arrested by more than 100 officers and agents with the Marshall, Benton, and DeSoto county sheriff’s departments and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations are as follows:

1. Willared Vernon Allen, 33, Houston, Texas
2. Demott Allen, 37, Houston, Texas
3. Kendrick Anderson, 40, Esemmes, Ala.
4. Shadrick Lateaf Bowden, 35, Saltillo, Miss.
5. Tiffany Brooks, 29, Indianola, Miss.
6. Lorenzo Keasean Buckingham, 26, Toledo, Ohio
7. Jordan Butler, 34, Baton Rouge, La.
8. Gary Glenn Bradley, 32, Little Rock, Ark.
9. Norris Carpenter, 48, Memphis, Tenn.
10. Carlton Edwards, 42, Georgiana, Ala.
11. William Edwards, 39, Georgiana, Ala.
12. Billia Cipriano Crenshaw, 37, Sunnyvale, Texas
13. Teaira Evans, 21, Memphis, Tenn.
14. Johnny Fergunson, 41, Laurel, Miss.
15. Twayna Funches, 30, Chicago, Ill.
16. Venice Lorenzo Gilliam, 29, Tallahassee, Fla.
17. Cornelius Q. Gilmore, 32, Liberty, Texas
18. Deverrick Goodin, 38, Houston, Texas
19. Laprysha Griffin, 22, Philadelphia, Miss.
20. Norman Hale, 45, Greenville, Texas
21. Steve Ferrel Handy, 48, Richmond, Texas
22. Gary Hardy, 30, Laurel, Miss.
23. Christopher Harris, 25, Jackson, Miss.
24. Barry Higdon, 41, Plantation, Fla.
25. Donnell Gerome Jackson, 54, Chicago, Ill.
26. Keith Tremayne Jones, 28, Houston, Texas
27. Marvin Jones, 30, Tampa, Fla.
28. Andre Lacy, 45, Mobile, Ala.
29. Intencie Leach, 37, Philadelphia, Miss.
30. Lataurus Chernell Lewis, 33, Indianola, Miss.
31. Eddie McCloud, 43, Pensacola, Fla.
32. Derrick McField, 34, Flora, Miss.
33. Undre Newble, 30, Whiteville, Tenn.
34. Kenneth Eugene Norris, 36, Houston, Texas
35. LaPorsche Nunn, 24, Louisville, Miss.
36. Tony Michael Parker, 46, Pensacola, Fla.
37. Michael Pryor, 35, Pell City, Ala.
38. Andre Roberts, 35, Beaumont, Texas
39. Larry Robinson, 36, Houston, Texas
40. Corey Rogers, 36, Beaumont, Texas
41. Paola Santamaria, 27, Memphis, Tenn.
42. Joseph Smith, 35, Pritchard, Ala.
43. Larry Smith, 58, Memphis, Tenn.
44. Ronald Sykes, 31, West Point, Miss.
45. Ennis Earl Thomas, 31, Houston, Texas
46. Ulysses Washington, 41, College Station, Ark.
47. Ulysses Calvin Washington, Jr., 22, College Station, Ark.
48. Orenthal Tyrone Watkins, 35, Toledo, Oh.
49. Kenneth Edwards Williams, 23, Philadelphia, Miss.