Virginia man convicted for mail-order pit bull fight videos

Philadelphia, PA -- A man who mailed videotapes of fighting pit bulls to government investigators became the first person convicted at trial under a 1999 federal animal cruelty law.

A jury deliberated just 45 minutes on Thursday before convicting Robert Stevens, 64, of Pittsville, Va., of three counts of selling depictions of animal cruelty.

"This dangerous and inhumane crime promotes violence and degrades our community," U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said after the verdict. "Justice has been done in a very serious case."

Stevens was tried in Pittsburgh because the tapes sold out of his home were purchased by the Pennsylvania State Police and U.S. Department of Agriculture agents.

Stevens sold three tapes: two that featured dog-fighting montages titled "Pick-A-Winna" and "Japan Pit Fights," and a third called "Catch Dogs," which showed pit pulls attacking hogs.

"This is indeed like a Joe Frazier in the ring against Muhammad Ali," Stevens says as he narrates one of the fights.

The law under which Stevens was convicted was signed in 1999 by President Clinton after the Justice Department fielded complaints about so-called "crush videos" favored by some foot fetishists, in which small animals were pictured being crushed under the feet of women wearing spiked heels.

On that basis, Stevens' federal public defender, Michael Novara, argued that the law did not apply to Stevens' offense, but instead was meant to punish "wanton cruelty to animals designed to appeal to a prurient interest in sex." Novara never disputed that Stevens sold or mailed the tapes.

The Humane Society of the United States, which pushed for the law, said it was intended to target all those who profit from animal cruelty.

Two other people had previously pleaded guilty under the law, but the Pittsburgh case was the first to go to trial and was important because Senior U.S. District Judge Alan N. Bloch dealt with Novara's legal challenge of the law, said Ann Chynoweth, director of the society's animal cruelty and fighting campaign.

"It's especially meaningful that the constitutionality was reviewed ... but obviously, the prosecution won out," Chynoweth said. "Dog fighting's big business, it's in every state, it's on street corners, it's nationwide. That's why this law is so important - it gets to those who profit from the barbaric animal cruelty of dog fighting."

Chynoweth said she didn't have any statistics to measure the extent or economic impact of dog fighting, or those who profit from it like Stevens.

Novara didn't immediately return a call for comment. Stevens was believed to be returning home Thursday and The Associated Press couldn't immediately locate a home telephone for him.

Bloch ordered Stevens to return for sentencing April 21. He faces up to 15 years in prison and $750,000 in fines.

In the meantime, Bloch ordered Stevens to surrender any pit bulls he owns by Jan. 24, and forbade him to be involved in training, breeding, selling or otherwise dealing with pit bulls or those who raise them or train them to fight. Stevens also cannot sell any dog-fighting equipment, including various types of poles used to help train the dogs.