A Paulding County man was sentenced to 475 years in prison Thursday after being convicted of 93 counts of dogfighting and 10 counts of cruelty to animals, the district attorney said.
The sentence is believed to be the toughest ever for dogfighting, according to Jessica Rock, Georgia’s statewide animal crimes prosecutor.
“This will definitely send a very strong message to the dogfighters not just here in the U.S., but other parts of the world, that we will not tolerate this abusive and senseless crime,” Rock said.
In November 2022, Vincent Lemark Burrell was arrested after more than 100 dogs were found at his Dallas-area home, according to investigators. During the investigation, detectives found 107 dogs tied to various objects with large and extremely heavy logging chains and thick collars.
“Some of the dogs were emaciated, while others were strong and extremely aggressive toward other dogs,” the Paulding sheriff’s office said after Burrell’s arrest. “The sad part is that the vast majority of these animals just craved the love and attention of the deputies and detectives that were on the scene.”
It was an Amazon driver who first alerted investigators after seeing dogs tied up to fence posts on heavy chains on the man’s property, the district attorney’s office said.
On Nov. 8, 2022, deputies and the Paulding marshals searched Burrell’s property and found several items linked to dogfighting, including a chicken used to entice dogs, a treadmill for dogs and documents linking him to other dogfighters, according to prosecutors. Burrell was arrested and charged with dogfighting and animal cruelty.
The same day, a veterinarian examined the dogs and found scarring patterns consistent with dogfighting. The Paulding animal shelter took custody of the dogs before the U.S. Department of Agriculture seized the animals and placed them with a rescue organization, the DA said.
“The average person doesn’t realize how prevalent dogfighting still is,” Paulding Chief Marshal Trevor Hess said. “But the more we talk about this issue and educate the public, the more people will understand that dogs aren’t ‘just’ property and you cannot treat them in this way.”
Burrell, 57, was convicted after a four-day trial. Judge Dean Bucci then sentenced him to the maximum sentence, the DA’s office said.
“By prosecuting dogfighters, we bring this underground world to light, ensure that these dogs receive the justice they deserve and work toward someday completely eradicating this crime,” Rock said.
Paulding Sheriff Ashley Henson said anyone with information about similar crimes should call 911 or they may leave an anonymous tip at 770-443-3047 or via the Paulding sheriff’s app.
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