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Ex-NFL Running Back LeShon Johnson Convicted on Six Felony Counts in Largest Federal Dog-Fighting Case

He faces up to five years behind bars, fines of $250,000 per count; forfeiture proceedings will determine the dogs’ fate.

Overview

  • Evidence showed Johnson ran Mal Kant Kennels to breed and traffic champion and grand champion pit bulls for fighting ventures.
  • A federal jury in Oklahoma found him guilty of violating the Animal Welfare Act’s bans on possessing, selling, transporting and delivering animals for fighting.
  • Authorities seized 190 pit bulls from his Broken Arrow and Haskell properties in October 2024, the biggest single-suspect dog seizure in U.S. federal history.
  • Prosecutors underscored Johnson’s repeat offending, pointing to his 2004 state conviction for operating a dog-fighting ring under Krazyside Kennels.
  • The DOJ, FBI and U.S. Marshals collaborated on the multi-agency investigation and now oversee care of the animals pending sentencing, which has not yet been set.