JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – Ten North Carolina men have been indicted on dog fighting and drug charges and 156 dogs have been seized as part an Onslow County dog fighting ring, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The following individuals were indicted in a 17-count indictment returned by a federal Grand Jury:
• Lewis Edmond Andrews, Jr., 41 of Maple Hill
• Ronnie Jeremy Thompson, 39 of Jacksonville
• William Jay Farrior, a/k/a “Bo”, 36 of Maple Hill
• Randall Jacob James, a/k/a “Slim”, 32 of Maple Hill
• Mark Anthony West, 52 of Jacksonville
• Leo Chadwick, 63 of Hubert
• Aaron Richardson, a/k/a “Jit”, 41 of Jacksonville
• Cedric Gerard Cook, 38 of Fayetteville
• James David Martin, 38 of Maple Hill
• James Leslie Golden, III, 46 of Ayden
The indictment said the defendants and their co-conspirators bet on animal fights, sometimes wagering as much as $100,000 on a single fight.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants and their co-conspirators purchased, received, bred, trained, conditioned, transported, and delivered dogs for the purpose of entering them in dog fights, according to the indictment.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has been requested by authorities to take custody of and provide daily care for the dogs seized during the arrests at a temporary shelter in an undisclosed location. The ASPCA is also providing assistance with evidence collection and conducting forensic examinations of the dogs seized in the case.