Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after being convicted in connection with a large-scale dogfighting operation in Oklahoma. The case has drawn renewed attention to his life after football, with prosecutors describing a long-running operation that caused the deaths and serious injuries of hundreds of dogs.
The former running back surrendered 190 dogs to the government following his conviction. Federal prosecutors linked Johnson to Mal Kant Kennels, an Oklahoma operation that had been breeding and trafficking pit bulls since at least 2007. He pleaded guilty to state dogfighting charges in 2004 and received a five-year deferred sentence, according to court records. “As Johnson was well aware, dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states.
Because this was not Johnson’s first encounter with dogfighting charges, the case is especially serious.
That was the largest number of dogs seized from a single person in a federal dogfighting case, according to the Department of Justice. Investigators said the dogs were bred for fighting traits and that Johnson promoted bloodlines connected to successful fighting dogs. “LeShon Johnson will face justice for building another particularly egregious and violent dog fighting scheme,” associate attorney general Stanley E. Woodward Jr. said in a statement Thursday.
To anyone attempting to build violent and illicit business schemes: you can run, but you can’t hide from the Department of Justice.”
LeShon Johnson’s Legal Team Considers Appeal Following Federal Sentence
Former NFL player LeShon Johnson is facing a federal sentence that marks a significant low point in his life after football. His attorney, Billy Coyle IV, has indicated that they are contemplating an appeal against the sentence. Coyle had previously advocated for a reduced punishment, suggesting probation as a viable option. He cited Johnson’s ongoing medical issues, his clean criminal record in recent years, and his successful adherence to pretrial release conditions over the past two years without any violations. These factors were presented to the court in hopes of mitigating Johnson’s sentence.