Pentagon Deputy Chief Information Officer and Co-Defendant Charged with Running Dogfighting Ring in Maryland

A senior Defense Department official has been arrested and charged with running a dogfighting ring in Arnold, Maryland. Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, the Pentagon’s deputy chief information officer, and Mario D. Flythe, 49, were charged with promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture.

According to court records, Moorefield allegedly trained the dogs, fielded bets on the matches and used jumper cables found at his home to execute the animals that didn’t die in the ring. In an early September raid on their homes, the FBI and other agencies discovered about a dozen pit bull-type dogs, veterinary steroids, weighted vests, collars and chains to increase the animals’ strength, and an apparatus used for electrocution.

At their initial court appearance on Sept. 28, a federal judge ordered both defendants released pending trial. Moorefield and Flythe are facing up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

The case has been referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland for prosecution. The FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General are continuing to investigate the case.

The alleged dogfighting ring has sparked outrage among animal rights activists, who are calling for tougher penalties for those involved in animal cruelty. The case serves as a reminder of the need for greater awareness and enforcement of laws to protect animals from abuse.