Union County Dog Fighting Ring Broken Up, 10 Arrested

Ten people are facing charges after authorities broke up a dog fighting ring in Union County over the weekend.

The Union County Prosecutor’s Office’s Guns, Gangs, Drugs, and Violent Crimes Task Force, along with the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SCPA), the FBI’s Newark Division, the New Jersey State Police, and the Elizabeth Police Department made the arrests at an Elizabeth, New Jersey, home following a traffic stop of a van.

After searching both the van and the Elizabeth home, authorities reportedly discovered 17 dogs, several with obvious injuries and most being kept in small, dirty steel or plastic cages; a treadmill allegedly used to build up the dogs’ endurance levels in preparation for fights; a dog fighting ring stained with blood; various collars, chains, and harnesses. Additionally, authorities found a pellet gun, marijuana and a stolen ATV.

In total, nine Elizabeth residents and one Irvington man were arrested. According to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, those arrested as a result of the operation include Shaquille Mars, 19, Leon King, 20, Rahman Johnson, 20, Tamir Norville, 21, George Parker, Jr., 22, Larry Polanco, 28, Shakemah Lytle-Johnson, 32, Algernon Norville, 36, and Nathaniel Thompson, 64, all Elizabeth residents, and Rashadik Johnson, 21, of Irvington.

According to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Algemon Norville is facing a second-degree certain persons offense for possession of the pellet gun, third-degree fighting or baiting animals, and marijuana possession. His bail was set at $75,000.

The nine other defendants have been charged with third-degree fighting or baiting animals, the prosecutor’s office said. Eight of the nine were released on summonses, with the exception of Thompson, who was held on $20,000 bond.

The third-degree dog fighting charge carries a penalty of three to five years in state prison.

The dogs recovered are in the custody of the SCPA, which is expected to evaluate each dog with the intent to place them in rehabilitative care elsewhere in the state.