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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.

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LeShon Johnson played in the NFL for six seasons, including 1994-95 with the Packers.
New York Giants running back LeShon Johnson (23) is seen in action during an NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens Sept. 3, 1999, in Baltimore. (Allen Kee via AP)
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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.