Related Federal Search Recovered Veterinary Steroids and a Device Consisting of an Electrical Plug and Jumper Cables Suspected of Being Used to Kill Dogs Who Lost Dogfights
A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe of Glen Burnie, with promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture.
The criminal complaint, announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron, was unsealed at the defendants’ initial appearances on September 28 where U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson ordered that the defendants be released pending trial under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Moorefield, age 62, is a Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications, for Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Investigators found battery jumper cables, which allegedly were used to execute dogs at Moorefield’s house, along with five pit bull-type dogs at his house and five pit bull-type dogs at Flythe’s house.
The affidavit claims Moorefield and Flythe, age 49, used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with individuals throughout the United States to discuss dogfighting. Moorefield used the name “Geehad Kennels” and Flythe used the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their respective dogfighting operations.
For example, as detailed in the affidavit, Moorefield, Flythe and their associates used the encrypted messaging application to discuss how to train dogs for illegal dogfighting, exchanged videos about dogfighting, and arranged and coordinated dogfights.
Moorefield and Flythe also discussed betting on dogfighting, discussed dogs that died as a result of dogfighting, and circulated media reports about dogfighters who had been caught by law enforcement. As further alleged in the affidavit, Moorefield and others also discussed how to conceal their conduct from law enforcement.
On September 6, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Moorefield and Flythe’s residences in Maryland. Following the execution of these warrants, 12 dogs were recovered and seized by the federal government.
Law enforcement also recovered veterinary steroids, training schedules, a carpet that appeared to be stained with blood, and a weighted dog vest with a patch reading “Geehad Kennels.” In addition, law enforcement officers seized a device consisting of an electrical plug and jumper cables, which the affidavit alleges is consistent with devices used to execute dogs that lose dogfights.
A Pentagon spokesman said the Department of Defense was aware of the situation. “We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace, but we cannot comment further on an individual personnel matter,” Lt. Cmdr Tim Gorman said in a statement, The Washington Post reported.
Photo: Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr. (Department of Defense)
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