Fredricus White, 38, and Cornelious Johnson, 41, both residents of Panama City, Florida, have been sentenced to federal prison following convictions related to dog fighting and illegal possession of firearms. White received a seven-year sentence, while Johnson was sentenced to two years and six months. Both sentences will be served consecutively to prior federal sentences handed down in Georgia last year for an unrelated dog fighting incident. Upon release from prison, each man will be on supervised release for three years.
United States Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentences. He stated: “These defendants engaged in the cruel and continued mistreatment of animals, and now they find themselves locked in a federal cell for their crimes. Dismantling this dog fighting enterprise was made possible through the outstanding investigative work of Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford’s deputies and our federal law enforcement partners, and this successful prosecution was secured with excellent support from the Department of Justice’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division. My office is firmly committed to ending the cruel infliction of pain on animals purely for sport and financial gain in the Northern District of Florida.”
According to court records, White and Johnson conspired from 2018 through February 2024 to violate the Animal Welfare Act by organizing dog fights, breeding dogs for fighting purposes, gambling on illegal fights, and training dogs for participation in these events. Their previous arrest in Georgia occurred during a 2022 dog fight event.
Federal warrants issued in February 2024 led authorities to two rural properties near Panama City where both men were found continuing their activities involving fighting dogs. During a search at White’s residence, investigators recovered three firearms; White was prohibited from possessing them due to prior felony convictions in 2009 and 2012.
Authorities seized twenty-seven dogs from these locations. The United States Marshals Service took custody of the animals to provide care and rehabilitation.
Sheriff Tommy Ford commented: “The Bay County Sheriff’s Office stands up for victims who have a voice and for those who cannot speak for themselves. This type of conduct will not be tolerated in our community, and we hope this sends a clear message to anyone who intends to harm our pets.”
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) said: “We are glad to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida to bring perpetrators of dog fighting to justice. Dog fighting is a vicious crime that’s often connected with other criminal activity. ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section is proud to work with our colleagues throughout the Department of Justice to enforce the law.”
The investigation involved cooperation between several agencies including the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG), with assistance from the United States Marshals Service.
Prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Kaitlin Weiss along with support from ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative coordinated by the Department of Justice aimed at combating violent crime as well as dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations across communities nationwide.
For more information about ongoing cases or public documents relating to this matter or others within its jurisdictional reach visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
