Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., a Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications at the Office of the US Secretary of Defense, was arrested and charged with running a dogfighting ring for more than 20 years, according to the DOJ’s press release.
Moorefield, 62, of Arnold, Maryland, was arrested alongside Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland. Both men face federal charges for promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture.
The criminal complaint was filed on September 21, 2023, and unsealed at the defendants’ initial court appearances on Thursday, September 28, 2023.
U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson ordered that both defendants be released pending trial under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.
The investigation revealed that Moorefield and Flythe used encrypted messaging applications to communicate with individuals throughout the United States to discuss dogfighting.
Moorefield operated under the name “Geehad Kennels,” while Flythe used the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their respective dogfighting operations. The duo discussed training methods, exchanged videos about dogfighting, and coordinated dogfights. They also discussed betting on dogfights and circulated media reports about dogfighters who had been caught by law enforcement.
On September 6, 2023, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the residences of Moorefield and Flythe in Maryland. Twelve dogs were recovered and seized by the federal government. Additionally, officers found veterinary steroids, training schedules, a carpet stained with blood, and a weighted dog vest with a patch reading “Geehad Kennels.” A device consisting of an electrical plug and jumper cables was also seized, suspected of being used to execute dogs lost in dogfights.
Continued…
Approved ~ MJM
