A jury in Oklahoma has convicted LeShon Johnson, a former N.F.L. running back, on dogfighting charges in a sprawling federal case that the authorities said could bring a hefty prison sentence and fines.
In October, federal agents seized 190 pit-bull-type dogs from Mr. Johnson, 54, of Broken Arrow, Okla., the most ever taken from a single person in a federal case, according to the Justice Department, which announced on Tuesday that a verdict had been reached in the case.
After a five-day trial in U.S. District Court in Muskogee, Okla., jurors on Friday found Mr. Johnson guilty on six of the 23 counts that he had been charged with for his role in running what investigators described as a major dogfighting kennel.
The jury concluded that he had violated the federal Animal Welfare Act’s prohibitions against possessing, selling, transporting and delivering animals to be used in fighting ventures.
Mr. Johnson, who played for the Green Bay Packers, the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants in the 1990s, could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. He remains free until his sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.
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The post LeShon Johnson, Ex-N.F.L. Player, Is Convicted in Major Dogfighting Case appeared first on New York Times.
