Georgia man sentenced to nearly 500 years for facilitating dog fights, abusing animals
A Georgia man was sentenced last week to 475 years in prison for facilitating dog fights and abusing animals, which included 107 dogs seized at his property in November 2022, authorities said.
A Georgia man was sentenced last week to 475 years in prison for facilitating dog fights and abusing animals, which included 107 dogs seized at his property in November 2022, authorities said.
It's the longest known sentence involving dog fighting anywhere, state animal crimes resource prosecutor Jessica K. Rock, also a special assistant U.S. attorney based in Georgia, said by email Monday.
Rock said by email that defendant Vincent Lemark Burrell, 57, denied being involved in dog fighting in court. It wasn't clear whether Burrell would appeal. His attorney did not immediately respond to a voicemail message Monday evening.
The case launched in 2022 when an Amazon delivery worker reported to authorities that several dogs were tied up with heavy chains on the defendant's property in Dallas, Georgia, about 30 miles west of Atlanta.
On Nov. 8, 2022, Rock, Paulding County sheriff's deputies and local marshals were on hand to search to the property with a judge's permission, according to Rock and officials' statements.
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