Willow Springs Man Accused In Nationwide Dog Fight Ring
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Willow Springs man is accused of being part of a multi-state dog fighting ring, and the U.S. Justice Department says 66 dogs have been rescued.
Most of the dog fighting ring was centered in New Jersey, according to federal court documents. The ring included people in Indiana and in the Chicago suburb of Willow Springs.
46-year-old Pedro Cuellar of Willow Springs has been charged with violating the Animal Welfare Act.
The government says he agreed to take two of the dogs because another member of the ring who was keeping the dogs was feeling some heat from local animal welfare officers.
The criminal complaint describes some of the conditions.
For example, it says authorities recorded one ring member talking about a dog that won a fight despite being obviously sick.
"He won, but we couldn't save him," he's quoted as saying.
"We lost the dog probably 15 minutes after the match."