Former NFL player guilty of dogfighting crimes

The Justice Department on Monday said former NFL player Leshon Eugene Johnson, 54, of Broken Arrow, Okla., was found guilty of six felony violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Johnson broke the law’s prohibitions against possessing, selling, transporting, and delivering dogs for fighting, the department said.

After an Oklahoma federal jury delivered its verdict against Johnson, he surrendered 190 dogs to the government—the largest number of animals ever taken from a single individual in a dogfighting case, according to the Justice Department. The U.S. Marshals Service cares for dogs seized in such cases through its asset forfeiture program, the department said.

What penalties does Johnson face? He has not yet been sentenced, but could be ordered to prison for up to five years and fined $250,000 for each of his six felony counts. Johnson also had a prior state conviction for dogfighting in 2004, according to the Justice Department.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Tiffany Owens’ story about how former NFL quarterback Michael Vick faced death threats after being convicted for dogfighting.