The Justice Department said that an Oklahoma man faces more than two dozen crimes in connection with an unlawful dog fighting camp where 18 dogs were seized.

Federal prosecutors charged Julius Deane Griffin, 43, after officials confiscated 17 living and one dead dogs from his Tulsa residence, according to the department. They also stated that some of the dogs had missing body parts and open wounds, which authorities believed were caused by dog fighting.

The charges include 23 counts of illegal dog fighting as well as illegal possession, training, transportation, delivery, sale, and receipt of canines intended for use in an animal fighting business.

Tulsa Animal Services, the United States Marshal Service’s National Seized Animal Program, and the Humane Society of Tulsa are caring for the canines who were removed. Federal authorities claimed all 17 dogs were assumed to be American pit bull terriers.

Experts previously told USA TODAY that dog combat is a widespread concern. Fights are considered a felony in all 50 states. According to a Justice Department investigation, professional fighting pits first appeared shortly after the Civil War.

“The allegations against Griffin are disturbing,” said Clint Johnson, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Prior to Griffin’s arrest, prosecutors partnered with animal rescue agencies that specialise in treating and caring for dogs seized from illegal dog operations.”

Aside from the animal fighting charges, prosecutors claimed numerous law enforcement agencies discovered ammo, pistol magazines, over $16,000 in cash, dog fighting trophies, dog treadmills, Narcan, steroids, dog medication, and more than 700 grammes of mushrooms, among other items. There was no information available on whether Griffin gave the dogs steroids.

Prosecutors stated that this is not Griffin’s first encounter with dog fighting. He was convicted in 2005 for his role in a dog-fighting ring with around 40 dogs.

Homeland Security investigators “will go to no end to pursue criminals who inflict harm and exploit innocent animals for their deviant entertainment and financial gain,” stated Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard of Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “Our investigations into illegal dog-fighting rings are vital to public safety as these types of criminal activities are often precursors into other organised criminal activity such as drug trafficking and money laundering.”

Griffin, according to court documents, has been running two dog fighting rings in Oklahoma, one called West Camp and another dubbed “Something Tight Kennel” since 2023.

According to a Homeland Security Investigations officer, Griffin’s Facebook page showed that he frequently talked and advertised his dog combat business to others. Griffin was reportedly a member of at least seven dog combat clubs on Facebook. The groups have a total membership of 124,510.

According to court documents, in one video, Griffin duct-taped a dog’s lips shut and let another dog to attack. The duct-taped dog died in the fight. Another video on his Facebook page showed a little child, who police assumed was a toddler, cheering on a dog in a battle.

“Griffin is observed on multiple videos participating in dog fights and training dogs to fight,” according to court papers. “Additionally, photographs and videos revealed Griffin’s training materials, treadmills, steroids, and other equipment used in the training of his fighting dogs.”

According to federal prosecutors, animal control conducted a formal inquiry into Griffin and his treatment of the canines in February and March. Officers went to Griffin’s home after witnesses reported witnessing him burn and bury deceased dogs. Animal control discovered at least 10 starved and bleeding dogs on Griffin’s farm.

Dog fights drew widespread attention after NFL quarterback Michael Vick admitted to taking part in them in 2007. Prosecutors frequently prosecute instances in which investigators have seized more than 100 canines in bad health.

LaShon Johnson, a former NFL player from Oklahoma, was charged in March in connection with a 190-dog combat ring. Prosecutors claimed Johnson bred dogs for fights and sold stud rights to customers.

Vincent Lemark Burrell was sentenced to 475 years in prison in February by a United States District Court judge in Georgia after being convicted on 93 counts of dog fighting and 10 counts of animal mistreatment. Local police issued a search warrant at Burrell’s residence, discovering 107 dogs.

Jessica Rock, Georgia’s top prosecutor for animal offences, told USA TODAY that dog fighting rings are more prevalent than people realise. She went on to say that many people lock up dogs and leave them for the entire day, just to let them out to fight or procreate. The fights are exhausting, lasting anywhere from one to three hours, and some will continue until a dog is killed.

She also mentioned that dogs rescued from the rings can be taught as normal pets.

“What I see a lot of times is when we go and we take these dogs off these chains, and we get them into a new environment and they’re totally different dogs,” Rock told me. “It’s as if they realise they’ve been saved and say, ‘OK, I’m not going to live that way longer. “I can be a dog now, right?”