Photo is not of actual dog owned by Johnson
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma recently unsealed a grand jury indictment charging former Green Bay Packers running back, Leshon Eugene Johnson, with federal dog fighting crimes. Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states and a federal crime under the Animal Welfare Act.
Johnson is charged with possessing 190 pit bull-type dogs for use in an animal fighting venture, as well as selling, transporting, and delivering a dog for use in dog fighting. Federal authorities seized the 190 dogs from Johnson in October 2024 under the Animal Welfare Act. This is believed to be the largest number of dogs ever seized from a single individual in a federal dog fighting case.
“The FBI will not tolerate criminals that harm innocent animals for their twisted form of entertainment,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI views animal cruelty investigations as a precursor to larger, organized crime efforts, similar to trafficking and homicides. This is yet another push in the FBI’s crackdown of violent offenders harming our most innocent.”
According to court documents, Johnson operated a dog fighting business known as Mal Kant Kennels in Broken Arrow and Haskell, Oklahoma. He previously ran Krazyside Kennels in Oklahoma, which led to his guilty plea on state animal fighting charges in 2004.
Johnson selectively bred so-called “champion” and “grand champion” fighting dogs—those that had won at least three or five fights, respectively—to produce offspring with desired fighting traits. He then marketed and sold stud rights and puppies from these dogs to other dog fighters who were looking to incorporate the Mal Kant Kennels bloodline into their own operations. His trafficking of fighting dogs across the country not only contributed to the growth of the dog fighting industry but also provided him with financial profit.
Dog fighting typically takes place in hidden locations, where dogs endure extreme abuse, severe injuries, and often death. They are conditioned through brutal training methods, drugs, and isolation. While law enforcement agencies—including the FBI—continue to investigate and shut down these operations, underground dog fighting rings persist. Animal welfare organizations continue to work to expose and combat this cruel industry.
Under federal law, it is illegal to engage in dog fighting in a venture that affects interstate commerce. It is also illegal to possess, train, transport, sell, or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count.
