Texas Man Pleads Guilty in Dog Fighting Case
| U.S. Attorney’s Office October 21, 2013 |
KANSAS CITY—A Texas man has pleaded guilty to holding a dog fight at his home, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Vertrick Jordan, 47, Tyler, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport animals across state lines to participate in dog fighting. In his plea, Jordan admitted he conspired with co-defendants Pete Davis of Kansas City, Missouri, and Melvin Robinson of Kansas City, Kansas, to hold a dog fight at his residence in Smith County, Texas, on March 23, 2013. When agents raided the dog fight, 30 people were detained and several more fled the property on foot. Agents found a dog fighting pit had been built on the property. Two trophies were found next to the pit.
Investigators learned Jordan had received a call March 19 and agreed to allow the dog fight to take place on his property. He was told the fight would be a “grand championship” match between two dogs that had won four previous fights to qualify. He was told the fight would be very private with only a few people attending. Those attending paid $30 to $40 each at the gate the night of the fight.
Sentencing is set for January 21, 2014. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of probation, 50 hours of community service, and three years of supervised release. Jordan also agreed to a three-year prohibition against owning dogs.
Co-defendants include:
- Pete Davis, who was sentenced October 10 to 16 months in federal prison.
- Melvin Robinson, who was sentenced October 10 to 10 months in federal prison.
Grissom commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt and the following agencies that contributed to the investigation: The FBI, the Kansas City (Kansas) Police Department, the Harrison County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Texas Department of Public Safety-Narcotics and Highway Patrol, East Texas HIDTA, the FBI Dallas Division-East Texas Resident Agencies, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department-Game Wardens, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-OIG, the Lindale Police Department, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.