Two Kentucky Cockfighters Plead Guilty!
You can read the full story here: Two plead guilty in Laurel County cock fighting case
From the May 11, 2022 The Sentinel Echo newspaper:
Two of the nine people named in a federal indictment involving a cock fighting ring have pleaded guilty to their charges.
Rickie D. Johnson, 55, made a guilty plea on May 3 to conspire against the United States of America by operating a cock fighting ring known as Bald Rock Chicken Pit off Loretta Lane on property owned by Harold "Fuzzy" Hale, who was also named in the indictment.
Johnson was scheduled for a May 17 jury trial but entered into a plea agreement. He is set for sentencing on Sept. 20 in London's U.S. District Court. He could face imprisonment for not more than 5 years, a fine up to $250,000, and supervised release for up to 3 years. As part of the plea agreement, Johnson agreed that he would not file for a decrease in his potential prison time based on his offense level and that he would not appeal the guilty plea or conviction.
Hiram B. Creech Jr., 47, entered a guilty plea to bringing his son who was not 16 years of age to the cock fighting operation, thus violating 7 U.S.C 2156. Creech could face up to three years in prison, up to $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release. He is also set for sentencing on Sept. 20.
You can read the actual plea deals here:
Johnson Plea Deal
Creech Plea Deal
SHARK's Cockfighting Work Prompts Federal Bust!
There is momentous news in our Crush Cockfighting campaign. On Saturday, February 26, 2022, federal agents and Kentucky State Police descended on a cockfight near Whitesburg, Kentucky. There were lots of various law enforcement vehicles, a helicopter, 100+ law enforcement officers - a full-blown federal bust.
You can read several news stories and the actual indictments below.
Read more ...