A former Department of Defense official has been sentenced to federal prison for his involvement in a dogfighting conspiracy. Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., aged 64, from Arnold, Maryland, received an 18-month prison sentence followed by six months of home detention and a $20,000 fine. He will also serve three years of supervised release and pay a forfeiture money judgment of $21,576.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland along with officials from several investigative agencies including the FBI and the Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General.
According to court documents, Moorefield's involvement in dogfighting came to light following an investigation initiated after two dead dogs were found in Annapolis, Maryland in November 2018. The discovery led investigators to Moorefield who was linked to a dogfighting operation known as the "DMV Board," active in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.
Moorefield operated under the kennel name "Geehad Kennels" and used his residence for training and breeding dogs for fights over more than two decades. Evidence collected included message exchanges about arranging fights and wagers with other members of the DMV Board.
Investigators found that Moorefield trained his dogs using physical regimens involving treadmills and weighted collars along with diet plans supplemented by steroids obtained through illicit means. Fights ended only when a dog died or was withdrawn by its owner; if one of Moorefield’s dogs lost but survived, he would kill it using an electrocution device.
Financial transactions related to these activities were disguised through misleading labels on payment platforms like CashApp. A search conducted at Moorefield's residence revealed five pit-bull-type dogs kept in poor conditions alongside various equipment used for training or staging fights.
At the time charges were brought against him, Moorefield held the position of Deputy Chief Information Officer within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended multiple law enforcement agencies for their roles in investigating this case and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who prosecuted it.
Further information about resources available through the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be accessed via their website links provided above.