{"id":378,"date":"2026-08-03T16:32:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:32:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=378"},"modified":"2026-08-03T16:32:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:32:36","slug":"southwest-georgia-man-sentenced-on-federal-dog-fighting-firearms-and-drug-trafficking-charges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=378","title":{"rendered":"Southwest Georgia Man Sentenced on Federal Dog Fighting, Firearms, and Drug Trafficking Charges"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>    <a id=\"main-content\"><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"grid-container\">\n<div class=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-gap a11y-natural-flow\">\n<div class=\"usa-layout-docs__main tablet-lg:grid-col-fill\">\n<div data-drupal-messages-fallback class=\"hidden\"><\/div>\n<article class=\"grid-row grid-gap\">\n<div class=\"node-content node-press-release\">\n<div class=\"node-type\">Press Release<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"page-title\">\n<span class=\"field-formatter--string\">Southwest Georgia Man Sentenced on Federal Dog Fighting, Firearms, and Drug Trafficking Charges <\/span><br \/>\n<\/h1>\n<div class=\"node-top\">\n<div class=\"node-top-left\">\n<div class=\"node-language-switcher\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"node-date\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"field-formatter--datetime-default field_date\"><time datetime=\"2026-07-30T12:00:00Z\">Thursday, July 30, 2026<\/time>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"node-top-right\">\n<div class=\"node-info-box\">\n          <strong>For Immediate Release<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"node-office\">\n                            Office of Public Affairs\n            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"node-subtitle\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"field-formatter--string field_subtitle\">Nation\u2019s First Federal Conviction for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Dog Fighting<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"node-body\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"field-formatter--text-default field-text-format--wysiwyg text-formatted field_body\">\n<p>Dun Terrius Bradford, of Sale City, Georgia, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison after\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/georgia-man-guilty-69-counts-dog-fighting-case\">being convicted in December<\/a> of 69 counts of illegally possessing dogs for fighting purposes, one count of manufacturing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of those offenses. In addition to the prison sentence, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia also imposed five years of supervised release and $6900 in mandatory assessment. The 67 pit bull-type dogs rescued from Bradford\u2019s residence were, at the time, the third-most dogs rescued in any federal case. This case also marks the nation\u2019s first federal conviction for possessing firearms in furtherance of dog fighting.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--s04 entity-image-1454971\">\n<div class=\"field__item img_wrp\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>One of 67 dogs rescued from Bradford\u2019s residence.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u201cDog fighting is organized crime, and it\u2019s a magnet for other criminal activity, as this case demonstrates,\u201d said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department\u2019s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). \u201cAmericans detest animal cruelty and the illegal drugs and guns that come with it. The Department of Justice is fighting to get these criminal elements out of our neighborhoods.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDog fighting is a grave act of animal cruelty that breeds crime and depravity, bringing illegal drugs, firearms and violence into our communities,\u201d said U.S. Attorney William R. \u201cWill\u201d Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. \u201cThis first-ever federal conviction for possessing firearms in furtherance of dog fighting demonstrates our commitment to working with law enforcement partners to dismantle these criminal organizations and protect both animals and the communities they harm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis investigation exposed a dangerous criminal operation involving organized dog fighting activities that inflicted horrific abuse on animals while also serving as a breeding ground for other serious criminal activity such as the narcotics and firearms violations that this defendant engaged in,\u201d said U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General John Walk. \u201cThis case demonstrates USDA OIG\u2019s commitment to aggressively pursuing those who profit from animal cruelty, and we thank our law enforcement partners and the prosecutors who worked with us to ensure this defendant was held accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis case demonstrates the good results achieved when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate to rescue dogs suffering at the hands of those involved in dog fighting and related crimes,\u201d said Acting U.S. Marshal Joseph \u201cJoe\u201d Chapman for the Middle District of Georgia. \u201cThe U.S. Marshals remain committed to supporting law enforcement in bringing those responsible for dog fighting to justice and ensuring that rescued canines are placed in protective custody, giving them a chance at a better life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to court documents and trial evidence submitted in this case, Bradford maintained a stock of 67 fighting dogs at his home in Sale City. At this compound, agents also recovered tools and supplies used in the training and keeping of dogs used for fighting, including: blood-splattered treadmills that had been modified to hold dogs in place conditioning; injectable veterinary steroids; a homemade \u201cbreeding stand\u201d used to immobilize female dogs too aggressive for breeding; a cattle shock prod with dog DNA on the tip; and a large cinder-block water tank used to tether dogs that had to tread water to keep from drowning. Officers also recovered cocaine base and the pot in which it was cooked, plus four firearms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--s05 entity-image-1454976\">\n<div class=\"field__item img_wrp\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Water tank used to train dogs.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"media entity-type-media entity-bundle-image media--image--s05 entity-image-1454981\">\n<div class=\"field__item img_wrp\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Blood-spattered treadmill used to train dogs.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase, or receive dogs for fighting purposes. This case was the first in the nation in which prosecutors obtained a federal conviction for possessing firearms in furtherance of dog fighting.<\/p>\n<p>USDA-OIG and the Mitchell County Sheriff\u2019s Office investigated the case with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service.<\/p>\n<p>Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and former Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of\u00a0ENRD\u2019s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to Bradford. The Seized Canine Program of the U.S. Marshals Service cared for the rescued dogs pending legal process.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"node-updated-date\">Updated July 30, 2026<\/div>\n<hr>\n<div class=\"node-topics\">\n<div><strong>Topic<\/strong><\/div>\n<div class=\"field-formatter--entity-reference-label field__items\">\n<div class=\"field__item\">Animal Welfare<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"node-component\">\n<div class=\"label text-bold margin-bottom-1\">\n                Components      <\/div>\n<div class=\"field__item\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/enrd\"><br \/>\n          Energy and Natural Resources Division<br \/>\n        <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n<div class=\"field__item\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/enrd\/environmental-crimes-section\"><br \/>\n          ENRD &#8211; Environmental Crimes Section<br \/>\n        <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>        <span>Press Release Number:<\/span> 26-871\n      <\/div>\n<\/article><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-gap\">\n<div class=\"post-content-region\">\n<div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/southwest-georgia-man-sentenced-federal-dog-fighting-firearms-and-drug-trafficking-charges\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Justice News<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/southwest-georgia-man-sentenced-federal-dog-fighting-firearms-and-drug-trafficking-charges\">Justice News<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dun Terrius Bradford, of Sale City, Georgia, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison after&nbsp;being convicted in December of 69 counts of illegally possessing dogs for fighting purposes, one count of manufacturing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of those offenses. In addition to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":258,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-department-of-justice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=378"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":585,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378\/revisions\/585"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=378"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=378"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=378"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}