FILE - The U.S. Department of Justice seal on a podium in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A Kansas City, Missouri man is facing a federal prison sentence and fine after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) says he plead guilty to running a dog fighting operation and illegally possessing a firearm after a felony conviction.
What we know:
The DOJ says on May 17, 2025, Vinol Wilson, 52, ran a dog fighting event known as "Mayhem Madness 2025" at his home with participants traveling with fighting dogs from several states to attend.
According to court documents, during the overnight period of May 17–18, 2025, after all three dog fights were completed, Wilson polled those attending for their views on which dog performed the best and which was the "gamest," or most willing to continue fighting despite injury, of the evening. The DOJ says Wilson awarded large trophies for "Best in Show" and "Gamest in Show" to two of the dog fight participants and purchased and received a puppy from one of the out-of-state participants with plans to use the dog for fighting.
On May 20, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Wilson’s residence where agents recovered 16 fighting dogs, four of whom were pregnant and later gave birth to 31 puppies. In addition, agents recovered items used in dog fighting such as medications, syringes, a "slatmill" dog treadmill, and fighting dog "pedigrees."
Investigators say Wilson was found to have a 5.56 mm loaded pistol and chambered with 29 rounds of ammunition in his possession.
What they're saying:
"Inflicting cruelty on innocent dogs for entertainment and profit is both deplorable and in violation of federal law. "The Western District of Missouri is proud to have worked alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to enforce the Animal Welfare Act and hold those responsible accountable. Through these efforts, we help protect those that cannot defend themselves," said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price for the Western District of Missouri in a relese.
Dig deeper:
The U.S. Marshals Service rescued the dogs, which were placed under their care and following a separate and successful civil forfeiture action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, the dogs were not returned to Wilson and entered a rehabilitation program to be evaluated for possible adoption.
Under federal law, it is illegal not only to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce, but also to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
What's next:
Wilson will be sentenced at a later date and the DOJ says each of the three dog fighting counts carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. The firearm charge carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. This story was reported from Orlando.