Federal agents rescued 78 dogs and arrested an Alabama man this week after a grand jury indicted him in connection to an illegal dog fighting ring he allegedly ran at three properties across the state.

Carlton Lenard Adams, 51, was arrested Wednesday after an indictment was unsealed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, prosecutors said, charging him with illegally possessing the animals for dog fighting and for possessing illegal high-power firearms after being convicted of a felony.

U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and made the announcement in a joint press release the same day federal law enforcement agents arrested Adams.

According to the release, which cited court papers, Adams maintained a stock of 78 fighting dogs at three properties − two in the city of Bessemer, a southwestern suburb of Birmingham, and one in the unincorporated community of Adger.

All three properties are in Jefferson County and less than 10 miles from one another.

The dogs' breeds were not immediately known.

USA TODAY has reached out prosecutors as well as the federal public defender who is representing Adams.

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Modified treadmills, vet steroids, skin stapler recovered in search

During a search of the properties, prosecutors wrote in the release, agents recovered tools and supplies "used in the training and keeping of dogs used for fighting" including the following:

  • Modified treadmills to hold dogs in place for conditioning
  • Injectable veterinary steroids, suture materials and syringes
  • A skin stapler
  • A break stick device used to break the bite hold of a dog "during specified intervals in a dog fight"
  • A homemade breeding stand used to immobilize female dogs who are "too aggressive to mate naturally"

In addition, the search reportedly uncovered two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun with a “street sweeper" drum cartridge − what prosecutors call an illegal "destructive device." The firearm is capable of firing more than 10 rounds at once.

All 78 fighting dogs rescued, may be eligible for adoption

All 78 dogs were rescued by federal authorities, prosecutors wrote, and cared for by a program administered by the U.S. Marshals Service.

A separate and approved civil forfeiture action filed by federal prosecutors allowed agents to seize the dogs, the release continues. Under the ruling, the dogs will not be returned to Adams and − if possible − will be rehabilitated and evaluated for possible adoption.

On Thursday, court records showed, Adams remained jailed in Alabama awaiting arraignment on the charges.

If convicted Adams faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each animal fighting charge. He also faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each felony firearm charge.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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