A Columbus man is facing federal charges for possessing nearly a dozen dogs for the purposes of training them to fight, as well as drug and firearms counts.
Joel Brown, 37, appeared Thursday in U.S. District Court in Columbus after being arrested on Wednesday on a total of 13 charges, 11 of them in connection with possessing dogs for the purpose of training them to fight, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio in Columbus.
Brown also faces two other charges, accused of possessing 50 grams of methamphetamine and illegally possession a shotgun as a previously convicted felon.
According to a criminal complaint, Brown possessed 11 pit bull-type dogs for the purposes of dog fighting within Franklin County. In a joint operation, Columbus Humane and Columbus police rescued the dogs and recovered tools and supplies that are used for dog fighting.
At the time, the complaint states, Brown was also in possession of a Mossburg 12-gauge shotgun, different types of ammunition, as well as the methamphetamine.
Brown was indicted in December by a federal grand jury, and the indictment was unsealed following his arrest.
If convicted of all charges, Brown faces a maximum penalty of 110 years in prison. There is a maximum penalty of 40 years for the drug possession charge, a maximum of 15 years for the firearm charge, and five years in prison for each count on the 11 animal fighting charges.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess, train, transport, deliver, receive, buy or sell animals for the use of animal fighting.
@ShahidMeighan
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
