Former NFL player LeShon Johnson has been convicted on six federal felony counts for his role in operating a large-scale dogfighting ring in Oklahoma, federal prosecutors announced on Monday.
The 54-year-old, who played for the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants in the 1990s, now faces up to 30 years in prison and fines totaling up to $1.5 million.
The charges stem from a years-long investigation into Johnson’s operation, which authorities say was responsible for one of the largest dogfighting cases ever prosecuted in the U.S.
Federal agents seized 190 dogs from Johnson’s properties in Broken Arrow and Haskell, Okla., calling it the largest seizure of its kind in a federal dogfighting case. Many of the animals were found to be injured or scarred. Investigators also uncovered equipment used to train dogs for fighting, including treadmills, bite sticks, steroids and detailed records of fights and breeding activity.
Prosecutors said Johnson operated under the name “Mal Kant Kennels,” where he bred and sold dogs — mostly pit bulls– trained for fighting. Evidence presented at trial included financial records showing more than $400,000 in sales over four years, with transactions conducted via Cash App, some involving out-of-state and even international buyers.
This was not Johnson’s first brush with the law over animal cruelty. He was previously convicted on state animal fighting charges in Oklahoma in 2005 but avoided prison time. Authorities believe Johnson may have been involved in dogfighting even during his NFL career, which ended in 1999.