Dogfighter gets 475 years: more than all other perps since Vick combined

Record tough sentence of Vincent Lemark Burrell is almost certain to be reduced on appeal

ATLANTA,  Georgia––Vincent Lemark Burrell,  57,  convicted after a four-day jury trial on 93 counts of dogfighting and 10 counts of cruelty to animals,  was on January 30,  2025 sentenced by Paulding County circuit court judge Dean Bucci to serve 475 years in prison.

“The sentence is believed to be the toughest ever for dogfighting,  according to Jessica Rock, Georgia’s statewide animal crimes prosecutor,”  reported Alexis Stevens for the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

As such,  the sentence is largely symbolic,  and is almost certain to be reduced on appeal.

Since the 2007 conviction of former football player Michael Vick on charges related to dogfighting,  the sum of all prison sentences for U.S. dogfighting convictions totals only 341 years,  shared among several hundred defendants,  most of whom received no prison time at all.

Found in possession of 107 pit bulls

Burrell was arrested on November 8,  2022 after 107 pit bulls “tied to various objects with large and extremely heavy logging chains and thick collars were found at his home near Dallas,  Georgia,  according to investigators,”  Stevens summarized.

“Some of the dogs were emaciated,”  Stevens recalled, “while others were strong and extremely aggressive toward other dogs,  the Paulding sheriff’s office said after Burrell’s arrest.”

At the time,  the Burrell arrest appeared to be related to a series of other dogfighting arrests in Ohio,  North Carolina,  and South Carolina.

(See What’s worse than coal for Christmas? 10 years for dogfighting!)

Tip from Amazon driver

But “It was an Amazon driver who first alerted investigators,”  Stevens wrote,  “after seeing dogs tied up to fence posts on heavy chains on the man’s property,  the district attorney’s office said.”

As well as the chained pit bulls,  Stevens continued,  “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.

“The same day, a veterinarian examined the dogs and found scarring patterns consistent with dog fighting.  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 district attorney said.”

What “other dogfighters”?

Who the “other dogfighters” implicated in the documents seized from Burrell’s home has not been disclosed,  but more dogfighting arrests followed in South Carolina and Florida.

Sandy Sharron Gathers,  41,  of Ladson,  South Carolina,  was in July 2024 charged with two counts of animal fighting or baiting;  one count of conspiracy;  and 15 counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent crime.

Gathers’ companion,  Sara Constance Shakeri-Taylor,  39,  was in August 2024 charged with one count of homicide by child abuse;  three counts of conspiracy;  three counts of animal fighting or baiting;  and one count of ill treatment of animals,  the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Both Gathers and Shakeri-Taylor are apparently still awaiting trial.

Fentanyl killed baby

The case originated on May 15,  2024,  reported Patrick Phillips of WCSC in North Charleston,  South Carolina,  “when deputies responded to a home where a non-responsive infant had been reported. Deputies arrived and performed CPR on the infant until firefighters arrived.  The infant,”  10 months old,  “died that evening at Summerville Medical Center,”  having allegedly been given a pacifier,  baby bottle,  and formula containing fentanyl.

“While investigating the home where it happened,”  Phillips said,  “deputies and agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division found approximately 15 dogs,  most of which appeared to be a breed of pit bull,”  along with “other items in the home and on the property widely known to be used in dogfighting.

“On May 29,  2024,  deputies and state agents executed a search warrant,”  Phillips continued,  “and found two dogs on the property in addition to a third dog who was dead.  The three seized animals were taken to the Charleston Animal Society and deputies seized items known to be used for dog fighting.”

Broward County bust

The most recent major dogfighting bust came in Broward County,  Florida,  during the third week of January 2025.

Described Hunter Geisel for CBS Miami on January 18,  2025,  “The FBI raided Alex Benefield and Tramaine Randall’s homes and arrested them for violating the Animal Fighting Venture Prohibition Act,  which is a part of the larger Animal Welfare Act.

Benefield was further charged with conspiracy.

The raid impounded 34 pit bulls.

Involved since 2014

“According to the arrest documents,”  Geisel said,  an informant long acquainted with Benefield told the FBI that Benefield had been involved in dogfighting since 2014.

“Around February 7, 2023,  the informant met with Benefield at his Deerfield Beach home,  and talked about dogfighting,”  leading to a second meeting a month later,  at which Benefield allegedly introduced the informant “to his dog “Blueface” and showed him a video of the dog ‘killing and eating one of the dogs in the backyard,’”  Geisel summarized.

Benefield allegedly claimed that Blueface had killed five other dogs.

Claimed pit bulls belonged to missing person

The informant,  according to the arrest documents,  “has also known Randall since 2014, having been his former dogfighting partner for three years,”  Geisel narrated.

The informant “Around July 14,  2024,  attended a dog fight in Deerfield Beach,”  obtained videos of a recent dogfight from Randall on October 8,  2024,  and met with Benefield again on December 14,  2024,  leading to a long discussion of dogfighting.

During the January 18,  2025 raid,  Geisel said,  “After being read his Miranda rights,  Benefield denied living at the home [where he was arrested] and denied ownership of the dogs,  telling authorities that they belonged to a missing man named ‘Tyrone Butler,’  whose picture was found on a flier inside the home that said he hadn’t been seen since August 2020.

“Benefield also denied that he had ever fought or trained dogs for dogfighting,”  said Geisel.

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