Alabama Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Dog Fighting Operation; 78 Dogs Rescued, Destructive Device Seized
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A Bessemer man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison last month after pleading guilty to operating a large-scale dog fighting venture that involved 78 pit bull-type dogs across three properties, federal prosecutors announced Friday.
Carlton Lenard Adams, who maintained residences in Bessemer and Adger, Alabama, was also ordered to pay $548,449 in restitution for the costs of caring for the rescued animals. The 78 dogs recovered in the investigation represent the second-greatest number ever rescued from a single defendant in a federal dog fighting case, according to court documents.
Adams pleaded guilty in January to four counts of possessing dogs for fighting purposes and two counts of possessing firearms subsequent to a felony conviction. In addition to the firearms, law enforcement personnel recovered two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun known colloquially as a “Street Sweeper” — which federal law classifies as a destructive device.
“This case demonstrates that the cruelty of dog fighting is not limited to the brutal injuries inflicted in the fighting pit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “These animals suffer before, during, and after the fights. We will continue to vigorously pursue Congress’s mandate to snuff out this illegal industry.”
When the dogs were rescued, some bore scars and other injuries, and others were living in conditions of extreme neglect, according to court documents. Investigators also recovered from Adams’s properties a range of tools and supplies used in training and keeping fighting dogs, including modified treadmills to hold dogs in place for conditioning, injectable veterinary steroids, suture materials and syringes, skin staplers, intravenous bags and lines, a homemade breeding stand, and a break stick device used to break the bite hold of a dog.
“This prior convicted violent felon is now off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. for the Northern District of Alabama. “We will show no mercy to individuals in this District like Carlton Adams that torture animals for entertainment purposes. The Department of Justice has prioritized a whole-of-government approach to prosecuting crimes against animals, and we stand ready with our law enforcement partners to swiftly bring the full force of justice to bear.”
Following a separate civil forfeiture action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, the dogs were not returned to Adams. They were instead rehabilitated and evaluated for possible adoption through a program administered by the U.S. Marshals Service.
“This case reflects the brutal reality of organized dog fighting operations and the appalling conditions these animals are forced to endure,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General John Walk. “It also exposes how dog fighting operations are often accompanied by broader criminal activity as evidenced by the presence of dangerous weapons such as the ones in the defendant’s possession.”
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.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 28 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Monkey Torture Videos
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina man was sentenced Thursday to 28 months in federal prison for his role in an online conspiracy that created and distributed videos depicting extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys, according to court documents and federal prosecutors.
Robert Craig, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty on June 25, 2025, to one count of conspiring to create and distribute so‑called “animal crush videos.” In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge imposed three years of supervised release.
According to a statement of facts signed by Craig, he used encrypted chat applications to share and discuss obscene videos of monkeys being tortured and sexually abused. The videos included numerous depictions of extreme violence and mutilation that had been specifically requested by Craig and his co‑conspirators, court documents state.
“These videos depict unspeakable cruelty against defenseless animals, and the defendant actively participated in a network that sought out and traded this material,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Under federal law, the creation and distribution of animal crush videos is a felony offense. The sentencing concludes a case that prosecutors said targeted an underground community that exploited animals for graphic entertainment.
Michigan Company Fined $500,000 for Illegal Asbestos Handling During Demolition
SAGINAW, Mich. — Applied Partners LLC has been ordered to pay a $500,000 criminal fine and complete a two-year term of probation for illegally handling asbestos-containing material during the demolition of a defunct industrial site in Saginaw, federal prosecutors announced Friday.
The company previously pleaded guilty to violating Clean Air Act asbestos work practice standards for its role in demolishing a structure known as the Power House in fall 2019. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to cancers such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, as well as noncancerous conditions like asbestosis, according to health authorities.
According to court documents, Applied Partners acquired the site in 2018 with the intention of demolishing and scrapping structures before reselling the property. Despite knowing that regulated asbestos-containing material remained in the Power House, the company directed another firm to begin demolition.
Between Sept. 19 and Oct. 24, 2019, employees of the demolition company used heavy machinery to break apart brick walls and pull down at least one large facility component covered in asbestos-containing material from the upper floors. The work was performed in violation of numerous asbestos work practice standards, prosecutors said. Demolition ceased only after regulators conducted sampling and informed Applied Partners that remediation of the remaining asbestos was required before work could resume.
“Applied Partners knowingly disregarded asbestos work practice standards designed to protect human health,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that public health is among our highest priorities, and we will prosecute those who violate environmental laws.”
“By demolishing an old industrial site with intentional disregard of the asbestos at the site, Applied Partners exposed workers to hazardous asbestos fibers,” said EPA Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The asbestos regulations and work practice standards protect Americans from cancer and other harm from asbestos. This prosecution and sentencing shows that companies that profit off of exposing American workers or communities to hazardous air pollutants will be held accountable.”
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