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A grand jury indicted LeShon Johnson of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on charges related to animal fighting and trafficking, the Department of Justice said in a news release on Tuesday, Mar. 25.
Johnson, 54, was charged with possessing 190 pit bull-type dogs for use in an animal fighting venture, along with selling, transporting, and delivering a dog for use in an animal fighting venture.
"Dogfighting is a cruel, blood-thirsty venture, not a legitimate business or sporting activity," said Christopher Wilson, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. "I applaud the investigative work of the FBI and the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division in detecting and dismantling breeding operations which only serve to propagate this deplorable conduct.”
Federal agents seized the dogs in October 2024 under the Animal Welfare Act, marking the largest seizure of dogs ever tied to one person in a federal dogfighting case. Prosecutors said Johnson ran the operation known as "Mal Kant Kennels" in Broken Arrow and his native Haskell, OK.
According to court documents, Johnson bred and trained "champion" and "grand champion" fighting dogs to produce offspring with aggressive traits used in dog fights. He sold breeding rights and offspring from these dogs to others looking to introduce the Mal Kant Kennels bloodline into their operations.
Johnson previously pleaded guilty to state animal fighting charges in 2004. Investigators found that he ran a similar operation under the name "Krazyside Kennels."
Prosecutors said Johnson's continued involvement contributed to the growth of the nation's underground dogfighting industry.
"This strategic prosecution of an alleged repeat offender led to the seizure of 190 dogs destined for a cruel end," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "It disrupts a major source of dogs used in other dogfighting ventures."
Johnson was drafted in the third round by the Green Bay Packers in 1994. After two seasons in Green Bay, he played three more years with the Arizona Cardinals and then joined the Giants in 1999.
In six NFL seasons, Johnson had 955 rushing yards, 434 receiving yards, and seven total touchdowns, ESPN said. His football career finished after playing for the XFL's Chicago Enforcers in 2001.
A standout at Northern Illinois University, Johnson led NCAA Division I-A with 1,976 rushing yards and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1993, according to Sports Reference. He was inducted into NIU's athletics hall of fame in 2003.
If convicted, Johnson faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge.
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