Pleas entered in Midwest cases

Haven't seen this posted yet:

http://www.stltoday<WBR>.com/blogzone/<WBR>st-louis-<WBR>crime-beat/<WBR>2009/09/14/<WBR>three-missouri-<WBR>dogfighters-<WBR>plead-guilty/

09.14.2009 12:28 pm
Four Missouri dogfighters plead guilty
By Robert Patrick
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

St. Louis – Four men pleaded guilty in federal court in St. Louis Monday to dogfighting-<WBR> related charges and agreed to forfeit the dogs and equipment seized in multi-state raids in July.

Teddy "Teddy Bogart" Kiriakidis, 50, Michael "Missouri Mike" Morgan, 38, Robert Hackman, 56, and Ronald Creach, 34, all pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to violate federal animal fighting laws.

Morgan and Hackman also pleaded guilty to an additional animal fighting charge.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, each man is likely to face from probation to six months in prison, depending on a number of factors, including any prior criminal convictions. They all also agreed to forfeit any dogs, training aids, medical equipment or weapons seized when federal agents and police executed a series of search warrants in early July.

During the four separate plea hearings, each man admitted the bulk of the prosecutors' accusations.

Kiriakidis, of Leasburg, said, "I conditioned dogs for fighting. Bred dogs for fighting."

Under questioning by U.S. District Judge Carol Jackson, Kiriakidis also admitted giving a dog named "Bo" to Hackman, attending a Sept. 27, 2008, fight on Creach's property and hosting a fight at his home on Jan. 3 that involved a female Pit Bull named Roho matched against another female Pit named Josey.

Morgan, who ran Cannibal Kennel in Hannibal, admitted breeding, raising and selling dogs that he knew were to be used for fighting. He also admitted attending Kiriakidis's Jan. 3 fight and promoting fights.

Creach, who ran Hard Goodbye Kennel in Leslie, admitted that he was involved with the others in various dogfighting-<WBR> related activities. He told Jackson that he routinely "rolled" the dogs, or fought them against other dogs to build their confidence and test the mettle, and hosted fights.

Hackman, who ran the Shake Rattle and Roll Kennel in Foley, admitted breeding, selling and giving away dogs that he knew were going to be used for fighting, including one he sold to an undercover officer. He also admitted attending and refereeing fights.

Outside the courtroom, Hackman lawyer Joel Schwartz said that notwithstanding the use of the dogs for fighting, Hackman's dogs were "incredibly well taken care of" and most were very healthy when seized.

Schwartz said that Hackman began as a breeder, and only later became involved in dogfighting. Schwartz declined to allow Hackman to be interviewed. In court, Hackman took pains to point out to Jackson that some of his dogs were sold as pets.

With the four guilty pleas, all five of those who had been indicted in St. Louis have pleaded guilty.

Jack Ruppel, 35, of Eldon, who ran Ozark Hillbillys Kennel, pleaded guilty Sept. 4 to conspiracy and another fighting charge. Ruppel admitted running the kennel with a partner and participating in 10 dog fights between July 19 and April 18. He sold a dog, a treadmill and steroids to an undercover officer and admitted killing dogs that would not fight or fight hard enough, prosecutors said.

 

Shaking head....

 

thats a shame

 

Another report on this... http://www.news-leader.com/article/...IVES/Three-men-to-plead-guilty-in-dogfighting