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A Department of Defense official faces up to 5 years in prison in dogfighting case

Ayana Archie

Frederick Moorefield Jr., deputy chief information officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, was charged last month with dogfighting. If convicted, he could face up to five years in a federal prison. Department of Defense hide caption

Frederick Moorefield Jr., deputy chief information officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, was charged last month with dogfighting. If convicted, he could face up to five years in a federal prison.

A top Department of Defense official faces up to five years in federal prison after being charged with promoting dogfighting, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.

Frederick Moorefield Jr., 62, a deputy chief information officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Mario Flythe, 49, were charged last month with "promoting and furthering" dogfighting.

Moorefield and Flythe allegedly used an encrypted messaging app to talk with people across the country about dogfighting bets, dogs that died from dogfighting and media reports about people charged with dogfighting, the U.S. attorney's office said Monday.

The two men also allegedly discussed how to train dogs for dogfighting, planned dogfights and talked about how to evade law enforcement.

A trio of dogs were part of a recent performance by the Danish Chamber Orchestra

Moorefield and Flythe used the monikers "Geehad Kennels" and "Razor Sharp Kennels," respectively, to identify their dogfighting operations, according to the district attorney's office.

"We are aware of the criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland," the Defense Department said in a statement. "We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace, but we cannot comment further on an individual personnel matter."

A lawyer for Moorefield was not immediately available for comment.

Officers executed search warrants at the homes of Moorefield and Flythe on Sep. 6 and found 12 dogs, "veterinary steroids, training schedules, a carpet that appeared to be stained with blood, and a weighted dog vest with a patch reading 'Geehad Kennels,' " the district attorney's office said.

They also found a contraption made with an electrical plug and jumper cables, which allegedly is used to kill dogs that lose fights, according to the district attorney's office.

The Two-Way

In a first, connecticut's animals get advocates in the courtroom.

Moorefield and Flythe will remain unreleased from custody pending a trial.

Moorefield was responsible for issuing guidance for Defense Department policy and technical issues, and strategizing communication plans for the agency's "non-nuclear strategic strike" and "integrated missile defense," among other things, according to an older version of the agency's website.

Moorefield does not appear on the agency's current website.

• dogfighting
• Department of Defense

Pentagon official charged with participating in dogfighting ring

Frederick d. moorefield jr., a deputy chief information officer, is accused of training fighting dogs for more than 20 years.

A senior member of the Defense Department communications staff has been arrested and charged with participating in a dogfighting ring in the D.C. area for more than 20 years, federal authorities disclosed Monday. The ring regularly trained dogs for fights, held matches with thousands of dollars bet on the outcomes, and executed dogs that didn’t die during matches, court records state.

Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, of Arnold, Md., was a deputy chief information officer for command, control and communications for the secretary of defense’s chief information officer, court records and Moorefield’s LinkedIn page show. He was arrested Sept. 28 on a charge of promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture, along with a longtime friend who allegedly admitted his participation in dogfighting, Mario D. Flythe, 49, of Glen Burnie, Md.

Investigators found battery jumper cables, which allegedly were used to execute dogs at Moorefield’s house, along with five pit bull-type dogs at his house and five pit bull-type dogs at Flythe’s house, court records show. The FBI, the Agriculture Department and other local and federal agencies raided both houses Sept. 6, finding weighted collars and heavy chains used to increase fighting dogs’ strength, according to a federal affidavit. Authorities said they also found “an apparatus that is used for involuntarily inseminating female dogs” and stains “consistent with bloodstains from dogfights.”

Both men were released after being arraigned last week. On Tuesday, a federal grand jury indicted both men on charges of conspiracy to engage in an animal fighting venture, possessing and training animals for fighting, and other related counts.

Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement Monday that the Defense Department was “aware of the criminal complaint” filed against Moorefield in federal district court in Baltimore.

“We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace, but we cannot comment further on an individual personnel matter,” Gorman said. He did not say whether Moorefield had been suspended, terminated or allowed to retire.

An affidavit written by FBI Special Agent Ryan C. Daly indicated that authorities have been investigating the dogfighting ring, which called itself “The DMV Board,” for years. Nine fellow dogfighters were indicted in Virginia last year, and eight have pleaded guilty and cooperated with investigators. Members communicated on the Telegram messaging app about training fighting dogs, exchanging videos, arranging fights and wagers, and comparing methods of killing dogs that lost fights, the affidavit states.

Online records maintained by the dogs’ owners showed that Moorefield had been involved in dogfighting “since at least 2002,” Daly wrote, and evidence of Moorefield’s training for fights, or refereeing other owners’ dogfights, was found periodically over the years, including extensive messaging lining up fights and prize money. Evidence indicated that some fights occurred earlier this year, despite the arrests of others in the ring, and that Moorefield and Flythe were “experimenting with different types of performance enhancing drugs to improve [their] chances of winning dogfights.”

Anne Arundel County authorities had received complaints about Moorefield and Flythe for years, and in November 2018, county animal control was alerted to a report of two dead dogs in a plastic dog food bag in Annapolis, about six miles from Moorefield’s home, Daly wrote. In addition to the dogs in the bag, investigators found mail addressed to Moorefield, Daly’s affidavit stated.

When Daly spoke to Moorefield on the day of the raid, he acknowledged that he operated under the name Geehad Kennels and that local animal control and law enforcement had previously visited his property, the affidavit states. Flythe told another FBI agent that he used the name Razor Sharp Kennels and “admitted to having engaged in dogfighting in the past.”

Two lawyers who entered appearances for the men Wednesday did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

A phone number for Moorefield was unavailable, and Flythe did not return a call seeking comment.

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Breaking news, senior pentagon official ran vicious dogfighting ring — and executed losers with jumper cables: feds.

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WASHINGTON — A senior Defense Department official ran a vicious dogfighting ring — and used jumper cables to execute animals that lost in the savage battles, according to recently released court documents.

Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, the Pentagon’s deputy chief information officer for command, control, and communications, is charged with “promoting and furthering animal fighting venture,” the Maryland US Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

The investigation into Moorefield — who named his dogfighting business “Geehad Kennels,” an apparent homophone for “jihad” — began in 2018 when Anne Arundel County Animal Control discovered the bodies of two dogs in plastic bags that included mail addressed to his Arnold, Md., home, according to a recently unsealed affidavit in the case.

“The distribution and number of recent and healed dog bite wounds (scars) present on both dogs was consistent with organized dogfighting ,” an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit. “Based on this information, I believe that Moorefield sponsored each of these dogs in a dogfight.”

Veterinary medical examiners were unable to determine the dogs’ causes of death, but the investigator believes Moorefield killed them himself if they did not die in a fight, according to the report.

“Individuals who sponsor dogs for dogfighting often kill dogs that lose a fight, and as a result of these fights, I believe the dogs were killed during the fight or that Moorefield killed each of them afterwards for performing poorly,” the investigator added.

Esteemed career

Moorefield is accused of being involved in dogfighting throughout his career as a civilian employee for the Defense Department, which began in October 2008 when he was hired as director of strategic planning for the Air Force Spectrum Management Office, according to his LinkedIn profile .

Since then, he has held various Pentagon leadership positions before taking on his current role in March 2020. He also served nine years in the Air Force before leaving the service in 1998, according to the profile.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman confirmed that the DOD is “aware of the criminal complaint” but declined to say whether Moorefield remained employed in his position.

“We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace, but we cannot comment further on an individual personnel matter,” Gorman said.

In his current position, Moorefield “provides technical expertise, oversight and broad guidance on policy, programmatic, and technical issues” relating to worldwide military communication networks and “advises on efforts to achieve and maintain information dominance for the Department of Defense,” according to the affidavit.

The FBI agent wrote, “He manages efforts defining Department of Defense policies and strategies for design, architecture … and sustainment of critical command and control and communications for non-nuclear strategic strike (and) integrated missile defense.”

Moorefield’s involvement in dogfighting dates back more than two decades before prosecutors filed charges against him Sept. 26, the investigator alleged.

In a search of his cellphone, investigators discovered Moorefield listed at least 18 dogs on a dogfighting pedigree website dating back to “at least 2002.”

Brutal evidence

In a Sept. 6 search of his home, the FBI discovered “five pit bull-type dogs ” kept in small, thick metal cages in a “windowless room in the unfinished portion of (his) basement,” according to the affidavit.

“The room holding the seized dogs contained items generally used to train dogs for fighting, including weighted collars and heavy metal chains,” the investigator wrote. “Agents observed an apparatus that is used for involuntarily inseminating female dogs.”

Investigators also found “a device consisting of jumper cables attached to an electrical plug … used to electrocute a dog after losing a fight,” the ends of which where covered in dog hair and blood, according to the affidavit.

During the search, Moorefield admitted to using the “Geehad” alias, and said his barber had been watching his dogs the previous weekend, authorities said. He also allegedly falsely told investigators that animal control authorities had already visited his home and observed his dogs.

To support his dogfighting operation, Moorefield is accused of placing his dogs on treadmills, feeding them performance-enhancing drugs such as steroids and specialized dog food and strapping them into weighted vests embroidered with the name “Geehad Kennels,” according to the report.

“In Moorefield’s iCloud account, I found multiple photographs taken in or around March 2023 of what appear to be fighting dogs in cages and/or wearing weighted collars consistent with those used to train fighting dogs,” the agent wrote.

In encrypted messages, Moorefield reportedly conspired with associates to plan dogfights, referring to his female dogs as “hoes.” He also spoke about refereeing other dogfights in Baltimore.

FBI agents also discovered bloodstains from dogfights held at Moorefield’s home, as well as syringes and a medical staple gun meant for closing wounds.

Several of the fights lasted more than an hour, with some of his dogs killing their competitors in the matches. The despicable fights also took place in multiple states, including Maryland and New Jersey, and involved bets of at least $1,500, according to messages investigators discovered on his iPhone.

Charges filed

Moorefield faces charges of participating in, promotion of and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture, as well as interstate travel “in aid of racketeering enterprises,” according to the complaint.

Prosecutors also accused Moorefield’s Glen Burnie, Md.-based barber, Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of the same charges in the case after investigators discovered conspiratorial messages on the DOD official’s phone.

During a search, investigators seized seven dogs from Flythe’s property — at least one of which he admitted was a puppy Moorefield had bred and given to him. Agents also discovered dogfighting paraphernalia including “weighted collars” and a treadmill at the barber’s home.

Four of Flythe’s dogs of various breeds appeared underfed, kept outdoors in fenced enclosures. Another three were apparently kept in small metal cages that appeared similar to those in which Moorefield kept his dogs.

During the search, Flythe admitted to participating in dogfighting “in the past” and confirmed that the equipment that agents found was used “to exercise his dogs,” according to the affidavit.

He reportedly told investigators he had been friends with Moorefield — with whom investigators discovered he shared more than 730 phone calls between April 2022 and 2023 — for more than a decade.

The barber and DOD official reportedly met through the dogfighting community.

If convicted, the two would face a maximum sentence of five years in prison, according to prosecutors. They are currently out of custody but remain under supervision.

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Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr Biography, Wikipedia, Political, Wiki, Dog Fighting

By sayyed ayan

Published on: October 4, 2023

Table of Contents

Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr Biography, Wikipedia, Political, Wiki, Dog Fighting – In a shocking revelation, a senior member of the Department of Defense communications staff has been arrested and charged with participating in a dogfighting ring that operated in the Washington, D.C. area for over two decades. This illegal operation not only trained dogs for brutal fights but also involved substantial betting on the outcomes and the heartbreaking execution of dogs that didn’t die during these fights. This article will delve into the details of this disturbing case, shedding light on the accused, the investigation, and the broader implications.

Accused: Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr.

The man at the center of this scandal is Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., a 62-year-old resident of Arnold, Maryland. Moorefield held a significant position as the deputy chief information officer for command, control, and communications for the Secretary of Defense’s Chief Information Officer. This high-ranking position within the Pentagon adds to the shock and concern surrounding his involvement in such a heinous activity.

Moorefield’s Arrest and Charges

On Thursday, Moorefield was taken into custody and charged with promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture. Alongside him, another individual named Mario D. Flythe, 49, of Glen Burnie, was arrested for his alleged participation in dogfighting. Flythe reportedly confessed to his involvement.

Shocking Discoveries During Investigation

During the investigation, authorities made deeply disturbing findings at Moorefield’s residence. They discovered battery jumper cables, which were allegedly used to execute dogs. Moreover, investigators found five pit bull-type dogs at Moorefield’s house and an equal number at Flythe’s residence. The dogs were kept in horrendous conditions, and the discovery of weighted collars and heavy metal chains pointed to the cruelty they endured.

Notably, authorities also found an apparatus used for involuntarily inseminating female dogs, indicating that the cruelty extended to breeding practices. Stains consistent with bloodstains from dogfights were also discovered, providing further evidence of the inhumane activities taking place.

Moorefield and Flythe were both released after being arraigned, but their alleged involvement in this cruel dogfighting ring has raised serious questions about their character and the implications for their careers.

Pentagon Response

Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman, a Pentagon spokesman, issued a statement acknowledging the criminal complaint against Moorefield filed in federal district court in Baltimore. However, Gorman did not provide specific details regarding Moorefield’s employment status within the Pentagon. It remains uncertain whether Moorefield has been suspended, terminated, or allowed to retire.

A Long-Standing Dogfighting Ring: “The DMV Board”

The investigation has revealed that this dogfighting ring operated under the name “the DMV Board” and had been active for years. Nine individuals associated with the ring were indicted in Virginia the previous year, and eight of them pleaded guilty and cooperated with investigators.

Members of the ring used the “Telegram” messaging app to communicate about various aspects of their illegal activities, including training fighting dogs, arranging fights, placing bets, and even discussing methods of killing dogs that lost fights. This digital trail has provided critical evidence for law enforcement.

Moorefield Lengthy Involvement

Online records maintained by the owners of the fighting dogs suggest that Moorefield had been involved in dogfighting since at least 2002. Over the years, there has been periodic evidence of his involvement in training dogs for fights and potentially refereeing other owners’ dog fights. The evidence also indicates that some fights took place earlier this year, even after the arrests of others connected to the ring.

Experimenting with Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Perhaps even more disturbing is the revelation that Moorefield and Flythe were experimenting with various types of performance-enhancing drugs to improve their dogs’ chances of winning fights. This indicates a disturbing level of dedication to this illegal and inhumane activity.

Complaints and Prior Investigations

Local authorities in Anne Arundel County had received complaints about Moorefield and Flythe for years. In November 2018, county animal control received a report of two dead dogs found in a plastic dog food bag in Annapolis, just six miles from Moorefield’s home. Investigators found mail addressed to Moorefield at the scene, further linking him to the gruesome discovery.

Moorefield Acknowledgment

During the course of the investigation, Moorefield admitted to operating under the name “Geehad Kennels.” He acknowledged that local animal control and law enforcement had previously visited his property, indicating that his involvement in dogfighting was not entirely hidden. Flythe also admitted to his involvement, using the name “Razor Sharp Kennels.”

The case of Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr. and Mario D. Flythe’s involvement in a long-standing dogfighting ring is deeply distressing. It raises concerns about the presence of such cruelty within the Department of Defense and the broader community. Animal cruelty is a grave offense that should be met with strict legal consequences.

This case also highlights the importance of law enforcement agencies, like the FBI, the Department of Agriculture, and local authorities, working together to uncover and prosecute individuals involved in organized animal fighting rings. It is our collective responsibility to protect and ensure the welfare of animals, and cases like these remind us of the work that still needs to be done to combat this cruel and illegal activity.

Who is Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr.?

Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr. is a 62-year-old individual who held a senior position as the deputy chief information officer for command, control, and communications for the Secretary of Defense’s Chief Information Officer.

What are the charges against Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr.?

Moorefield has been charged with promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture, related to his alleged involvement in a dogfighting ring.

Who else was arrested in connection with the dogfighting ring?

Alongside Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., Mario D. Flythe, aged 49, from Glen Burnie, was also arrested for his alleged participation in the dogfighting ring.

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Pentagon Official Charged With Running a Dogfighting Ring

Twelve dogs and an electrical plug with jumper cables were seized last month from the Maryland homes of two men charged with promoting a dogfighting ring.

By Jenny Gross

A Department of Defense communications official has been charged with running a dogfighting ring that operated for many years and in which thousands of dollars were bet on violent matches, federal prosecutors in Maryland said this week.

The official, Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, of Arnold, Md., was a deputy chief information officer for command, control and communications, according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore and Mr. Moorefield’s LinkedIn page, which said he had been with the department for 11 years.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland, Mr. Moorefield and another defendant, Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of Anne Arundel County, Md., communicated using encrypted messaging applications to discuss how to train dogs for illegal dogfighting, to coordinate dogfights, to discuss betting on dogfighting and to discuss dogs that had died as a result of dogfighting.

Mr. Moorefield and Mr. Flythe, a barber, used the names “Geehad Kennels” and “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their dogfighting operations, according to the affidavit, which was prepared by Special Agent Ryan C. Daly of the F.B.I. They also discussed with others across the United States how to conceal their conduct from law enforcement.

Mr. Moorefield had been involved in dogfighting for about two decades, according to the affidavit. An informant cited in the document said that he had entered a dog into a fight against one of Mr. Moorefield’s dogs “in or around 2009.” According to records of communications cited in the document, Mr. Moorefield was “canvassing his dogfighting associates” to find contenders to set up other fights.

Special Agent Daly cited a listing of fighting dogs under the “Geehad” name that dated back to 2002 and showed dogs that belonged to Mr. Moorefield and others in dogfighting circles.

The two men are accused of buying, selling, delivering, possessing, training or transporting animals for participation in an animal fighting venture; using the postal service or other interstate instrumentality for promoting or furthering an animal fighting venture; and engaging in a conspiracy to sponsor or exhibit an animal in an animal fighting venture.

If convicted, Mr. Moorefield and Mr. Flythe would each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for possessing, training or transporting animals for participation in an animal fighting venture.

Mr. Moorefield and Mr. Flythe appeared in federal court in Baltimore on Thursday and were released pending trial. Neither could be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Law enforcement officers carried out search warrants at the Maryland homes of the two men on Sept. 6 and recovered 12 dogs. Officers also seized veterinary steroids; training schedules; a carpet stained with blood; a dog vest with a patch that read, “Geehad Kennels”; and an electrical plug with jumper cables, a type of device that has been used to execute dogs that lose dogfights.

According to court documents, Anne Arundel County Animal Control responded in November 2018 to a report of two dead dogs found with wounds and scarring patterns consistent with dogfighting in a plastic bag about six miles from Mr. Moorefield’s house. The bag also contained mail addressed to Mr. Moorefield.

The Pentagon said in a statement that it was aware of the criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. “We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace, but we cannot comment further on an individual personnel matter,” Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman said.

The charges stemmed from evidence gathered from the August 2022 indictments of seven other defendants who were part of chat groups on secure messaging apps that went under the names of “the DMV Board” or “the Board” and were used to set up dog fights, the affidavit said. Six of the defendants have pleaded guilty to charges related to dogfighting.

Dogfighting is a sport where dogs are bred for aggressiveness and forced to fight one another for the entertainment and profit of spectators, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or A.S.P.C.A., which estimates that hundreds of thousands of dogs are forced to train, fight and suffer every year.

In 2019, the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act was signed into law making intentional acts of animal cruelty federal crimes that carry penalties of up to seven years in prison. Federal law had already banned sponsoring animal fights, but the 2019 law was passed to help prosecutors address cases of abused animals that cross state lines, according to animal rights groups.

Stacy Wolf, a senior vice president at the A.S.P.C.A., said that this case demonstrated that dogfighting is much more common than many people realize. She said that strengthened dogfighting laws were encouraging, but that more progress needed to be made.

“Law enforcement is far less likely to investigate and intervene in animal fighting operations when they are unsure if animal protection agencies can bear the cost and burden of caring for seized animals, which means fewer animals saved,” Ms. Wolf said.

Dogfighting is a public safety risk, she added, associated with criminal activity including illegal gambling and possession of drugs and firearms.

Alain Delaquérière contributed research and Johnny Diaz contributed reporting.

Jenny Gross is a general assignment reporter. Before joining The Times, she covered British politics for The Wall Street Journal. More about Jenny Gross

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Federal Grand Jury Returns an Indictment Charging Two Anne Arundel County Men for Facilitating a Dog Fighting Ring

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment late yesterday charging Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., age 62, of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe, age 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland with conspiracy to engage in an animal fighting venture and other charges related to their alleged establishment and promotion of a dog fighting ring.   

Flythe and Moorefield are scheduled to have an initial appearance and arraignment on the indictment on Friday, October 6, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively, in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite.  The defendants are currently released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services on related charges.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of  Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal for Maryland Mathew Silverman; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad.

“The mistreatment of animals for sport is among the lowest level of human conduct,” said Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.  “Those who engage in this cruelty will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to the indictment, Moorefield and Flythe used encrypted messaging applications to communicate with individuals throughout the United States to discuss dogfighting.  Moorefield used the name “Geehad Kennels” and Flythe used the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to identify their respective dogfighting operations. 

As alleged in the indictment, Moorefield, Flythe and their associates used the encrypted messaging applications to discuss dogfights, dogfighting, breeding fighting dogs, training techniques to maximize their chances of developing champion fighting dogs, and methods to avoid being caught by law enforcement, as well as to buy and sell veterinary supplies for use on fighting dogs, arrange and coordinate dogfights, and exchange information about wagers on dogfights. 

Further, the indictment alleges that between June 2022 and September 2023, the defendants unlawfully possessed, trained, delivered and received dogs to participate in an animal fighting venture and from February 2019 to September 2023 used the internet and text and instant-messaging applications to promote, manage and facilitate gambling related to the dogfights.  The indictment also seeks forfeiture of any proceeds derived from, or traceable to, the gambling enterprise.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.  

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the 10 counts charged in the indictment.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General, the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Animal Control, and thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their valuable assistance in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Levin and Darryl Tarver, who are prosecuting the case.  

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach .

Marcia Lubin (410) 209-4854

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A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., age 62, of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe, age 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland with promoting and...

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Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Director of Administration & Management Michael Donley Honor the Department of Defense Recipients of the 2021 and 2022 Presidential Rank Awards

In a ceremony at the Pentagon today, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Director of Administration & Management Michael Donley honored the Department of Defense recipients of the 2021 and 2022 Presidential Rank Awards.

The Presidential Rank Award (PRA), established by statute, is one of the highest awards bestowed upon career Senior Executive Service and senior professionals by the President of the United States.  Nominees face a long and rigorous evaluation period focused on those who have made significant and lasting contributions to their agencies in delivering mission critical solutions, providing excellent customer service, and being good stewards of taxpayers’ dollars, and includes an extensive on-site evaluation and analysis process.  Just being nominated by itself is considered a recognition of sustained exemplary performance over multiple years.  

“Serving in a career leadership role here in the Department of Defense requires strength of character, integrity, resourcefulness, and a relentless commitment to public service. This is especially true in our dynamic operating environment, given our critically important mission for the American people, and with the unanticipated challenges we face. And to lead during the COVID-19 pandemic presented a novel set of challenges that no one could have predicted.  It is fair to say that the Department’s success during such challenging times is due, in no small measure, to the extraordinary leadership efforts of today’s Presidential Rank Awards honorees.” said Deputy Secretary Hicks.   

Today’s ceremony honored both 2021 and 2022 PRA recipients because COVID restrictions prevented the Department from hosting a ceremony honoring the 2021 awardees last year.

Two categories of PRA are available: ‘Distinguished’ rank to leaders who achieve sustained extraordinary accomplishments, and ‘Meritorious’ rank to leaders for sustained accomplishments.

The Department of Defense 2021 PRA recipients are:

Distinguished Executive

• Thomas M. Muir, Director of Administration & Organizational Policy (Retired), Director, Administration & Management
• Joseph R. Nogueira, Principal Deputy Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, CAPE (Retired)  
• Peter F. Verga, Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence & Security), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence & Security) (Retired)
• Gregory J. Weaver, Deputy Director, Strategic Stability, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Retired)

Meritorious Executive

• James H. Baker, Director of Net Assessment, Office of Net Assessment
• Christopher M. Barnhurst, Executive Deputy Director, Department of Defense Chief Information Officer / Defense Information Systems Agency
• Robert E. Easton, Director, Office of Litigation, Office of General Counsel / Defense Legal Services Agency
• Andrew S. Mara, Deputy Director, Capability Enablers, Cost Assessment & Program Evaluation (Resigned)
• Donald J. McKenzie, Jr, Regional Director, Eastern, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) / Defense Contract Audit Agency (Retired)
• Stephanie P. Miller, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Military Personnel Policy), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness)
• Virginia S. Penrod, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower & Reserve Affairs), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness) (Retired)
• Robert G. Salesses, Deputy Director, Washington Headquarters Services , Washington Headquarters Services

Meritorious Senior Career Employee

• Walter S. Chai, Technical Director for Space Systems, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Research & Engineering) / Missile Defense Agency
• Edward I. Richards, Senior Level Attorney-Adviser, Office of General Counsel / Defense Legal Services Agency

The Department of Defense 2022 PRA recipients are: 

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Pentagon Official Accused Of Dogfighting Ring Executed Losers With Jumper Cables: Feds

General Assignment Reporter, HuffPost

A communications official in the Defense Department was arrested for allegedly running a dogfighting operation in which he electrocuted the losing dogs that he trained, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, of Arnold, Maryland, trained the dogs, fielded bets on the matches and used jumper cables found at his home to allegedly execute the animals that didn’t die in the ring, according to court records cited by the newspaper.

In an early September raid on his home and that of an alleged accomplice, Mario D. Flythe, the FBI and other agencies said they also discovered about a dozen pit bull-type dogs, veterinary steroids, weighted vests, collars and chains to increase the animals’ strength, and “an apparatus that is used for involuntarily inseminating female dogs,” the Post and CBS News reported .

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland noted that Moorefield, a deputy chief information officer , and Flythe were charged with promoting and furthering animal fighting ventures.

A Pentagon spokesperson said Moorefield was “no longer in the workplace” but gave no details.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the defendants, who allegedly used an encrypted messaging app to promote their illicit enterprises, made a court appearance on Sept. 28 and were released pending trial.

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A Department of Defense employee has been accused of being involved in illegal dog fights for over 20 years

• A Department of Defense employee was accused of being involved in illegal dog fighting.
• Frederick Douglass Moorefield was involved with dog fights for over 20 years, per court documents.
• The authorities also found tools in Moorefield's home that could have been used to electrocute dogs. 

The federal authorities have accused a 62-year-old Department of Defense employee of being involved in an illegal dog fighting ring.

Frederick Douglass Moorefield was a deputy chief information officer for command, control, and communications for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, per an affidavit seen by Insider.

Moorefield was charged along with a 49-year-old barber, Mario Damon Flythe, per the document. Both men are accused of using Telegram, an encrypted messaging application, to coordinate dog fights.

Related stories

On Telegram, Moorefield and his associates discussed topics from training methods for illegal dogfighting and ways they could evade arrest for arranging these fights, per the affidavit.

The authorities executed a search warrant on Moorefield's Maryland home on September 6, and found a device consisting of jumper cables attached to an electrical plug. The device may have been used to electrocute dogs after they lost a fight, per the document.

Five pit bull-type dogs, a dog training schedule, and a weighted dog vest with the words "Geehad Kennels" emblazoned on it were also found at Moorefield's home. Officers also found a stained gray carpet that appeared "consistent with blood stains derived from multiple dogfights," per the affidavit.

The authorities' investigation of Moorefield's phone and online records also revealed that Moorefield had been involved in dog fights since 2002, per the affidavit.

Moorefield and Flythe have been released pending trial following his arraignment, per a press release from the US attorney's office for the District of Maryland.

According to the press release, Moorefield and Flythe each face a maximum sentence of five years if they are convicted of their charges.

In a statement to The Washington Post , Pentagon spokesperson Tim Gorman said that Moorefield was "no longer in the workplace." Gorman's statement didn't say if Moorefield had been fired or suspended.

The DoD did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Watch: Why Canadian Mounties train with dogs in sub-zero temperatures

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Pentagon official charged in connection with brutal dogfighting ring.

CRUEL INTENTIONS

Department of Defense

A Pentagon official has been charged in connection with a brutal dog-fighting ring—and the evidence includes automobile jumper cables found at his house that were allegedly used to execute the losing animals. Frederick Moorefield, 62, a deputy chief information officer for the Department of Defense, “is no longer in the workplace” following his Thursday arrest, authorities said. A longtime friend admitted to taking part in the ring, which ran for 20 years, The Washington Post reported. A raid turned up five pit bulls at Moorefield’s Maryland home and evidence that he was “experimenting with different types of performance enhancing drugs to improve [their] chances of winning dogfights.”

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Two Anne Arundel County men, including Pentagon official, charged with running illegal dogfighting ring

A senior member of the Pentagon’s communications staff is among two Anne Arundel County men charged with promoting and furthering an illegal dogfighting operation, according to a federal criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.

Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, of Arnold, and Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of Glen Burnie, and their associates used encrypted messaging “to discuss how to train the dogs for illegal dogfighting, exchanged videos about dogfighting, and arranged and coordinated dogfights,” Department of Justice officials said in a news release Monday. Moorefield operated under the name “Geehad Kennels,” and Flythe under the name “Razor Sharp Kennels” to describe their respective dogfighting operations, the complaint states.

The complaint, announced by U.S. Attorney Erek Barron, also alleges that Moorefield and Flythe used the encrypted messaging application to discuss betting on fights, dogs that died as a result of fighting, and how to conceal their operation from police. They also shared media reports about dogfighters caught by law enforcement, authorities say.

The news release identified Moorefield as a deputy chief information officer for command, control and communications for the Office of the Secretary of Defense; he and Flythe were released pending trial. If convicted, each faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for possessing, training or transporting animals for an animal fighting operation.

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Law enforcement officers who executed search warrants Sept. 6 at the homes of Moorefield and Flythe recovered 12 dogs. Also found in that search were veterinary steroids, training schedules, carpet with apparent bloodstains, a weighted dog vest with a patch that read “Geehad Kennels,” and a makeshift electrical device typically used to kill dogs that lose fights, according to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service and Anne Arundel County Police. The two men charged are being supervised by U.S. Pretrial Services.

Asked about Moorefield’s employment status, Tim Gorman, a media relations officer for the Defense Department, said in a statement Monday night: “We are aware of the criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace, but we cannot comment further on an individual personnel matter.” He referred further questions to the Department of Justice.

According to Moorefield’s LinkedIn biography, he had served in his most recent position at the Pentagon since March 2020. He previously served as acting deputy director to the chief information officer for command, control, communications and computers and information infrastructure capabilities (C4IIC) in Arlington, Virginia. He listed himself as a director of spectrum policy and international engagements from 2012 to the present and as director of strategic planning at the Air Force Spectrum Management Office at Fort Meade from 2008 to 2012.

Moorefield holds a master’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Dayton and a bachelor’s in mathematics from Wilberforce University, his LinkedIn profile states.

As of early Tuesday, Moorefield’s staff bio no longer appeared on a list of senior Defense Department information officers.

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Hugo Kugiya is a reporter for the Express Desk and has formerly reported for the Associated Press, Newsday, and the Seattle Times.

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Defense Department official charged with promoting, facilitating dog fighting ring

Two Maryland men, including a Department of Defense deputy chief, were charged with facilitating a dog fighting ring, according to the Department of Justice.

Department of Defense deputy chief information officer Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., 62, of Arnold, Maryland, and Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, were charged with promoting and facilitating animal fighting ventures, according to a federal complaint filed Sept. 23. 

The defendants appeared in court on Sept. 28 and were released pending trial under the supervision of the U.S. Pretrial Services, according to department officials. 

Moorefield and Flythe used an encrypted messaging application to talk with other people across the country about dogfighting, department officials said. Moorefield used the name "Geehad Kennels" and Flythe used "Razor Sharp Kennels" to identify their respective dogfighting operations. 

Justice Department officials said the two men and their associates discussed how to train dogs for fighting, sent each other videos about dogfighting, and arranged and coordinated illegal matches. Moorefield and Flythe also talked about betting on dogfights, discussed the dogs that had died as a result of the matches, and sent news articles about dogfighters caught by law enforcement, according to the complaint.

Twelve dogs seized

As further alleged in the affidavit, Moorefield and others also discussed about concealing their actions from authorities.

On Sept. 6, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Moorefield and Flythe’s residences in Maryland where twelve dogs were recovered and seized by the federal government, according to the news release.

Federal officials found veterinary steroids and a device with an electric plug, which the affidavit claims is "consistent with devices used to execute dogs that lose dogfights." Other items found included training schedules, what seemed to be a blood-stained carpet, and a weighted dog vest with a patch reading “Geehad Kennels.”

In a statement to The Washington Post , Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman, a Pentagon spokesman, said the Defense Department was "aware of the criminal complaint" against Moorefield.

"We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace," Gorman said, the Post reported. He did not confirm if Moorefileld had been suspended, terminated, or allowed to retire.

If convicted, Moorefield and Flythe each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for possessing, training, or transporting animals for participation in animal fighting. 

'DEEPLY DISTURBING': Feds recover 90 dogs, puppies in raid on Indiana dog fighting ring

Defense Dept. official faces charge tied to Maryland dogfighting ring

Matt Small | [email protected]

October 3, 2023, 9:33 AM

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Two Maryland men, including a Department of Defense employee, have been charged with facilitating a dogfighting ring in Anne Arundel County.

Frederick “Fred” Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, of Arnold and Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of Glen Burnie are charged with “promoting and furthering animal fighting venture.” Moorefield has been Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications, for Office of the Secretary of Defense since March 2020, according his LinkedIn page  and the U.S. Defense Department.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the Sept. 21 criminal complaint, Moorefield (using the name “Geehad Kennels”) and Flythe (using the name “Razor Sharp Kennels”) used encrypted messaging to discuss dogfighting with others across the U.S.

They discussed topics including animal deaths, betting, coordinating fights and training — and how to hide it, according to the affidavit. It said the pair also shared dogfighting videos and news reports on apprehended dogfighters.

A dozen dogs were recovered and seized by the federal government, after law enforcement executed search warrants on Sept. 6 that “recovered veterinary steroids, training schedules, a carpet that appeared to be stained with blood, and a weighted dog vest with a patch reading ‘Geehad Kennels,'” according to a news release .

Both men were released pending trial under U.S. Pretrial Services supervision, according to the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office. The news release states that law enforcement also seized “a device consisting of an electrical plug and jumper cables, which the affidavit alleges is consistent with devices used to execute dogs that lose dogfights.”

Moorefield’s status with the Defense Department is unknown at this time. WTOP has learned that  Kevin Mulvihill is now in the deputy chief information officer role on an acting basis.

If convicted, Moorefield and Flythe both face up to five years in federal prison for possessing, training, or transporting animals for participation in an animal fighting venture.

WTOP News has reached out to Moorefield and Flythe seeking comment.

Matt joined WTOP News at the start of 2020, after contributing to Washington’s top news outlet as an Associated Press journalist for nearly 18 years.

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Frederick Moorefield: Pentagon official ran dogfighting ring for two decades, killed animals that lost

WASHINGTON, DC: Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr, a Pentagon communications official, was detained last week and accused of allegedly participating in a dogfighting ring in the Washington , DC, area for more than 20 years, Maryland authorities announced on Monday, October 2.

According to an affidavit submitted in US District Court in Baltimore, the official, 62-year-old Moorefield of Arnold, Maryland, was the Pentagon's deputy chief information officer for command, control, and communications.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Moorefield has worked for the Defense Department for 11 years.

Pentagon official Frederick Douglass Moorefield charged with running dog fighting ring for two decades at his home. pic.twitter.com/vm0aGm4hTT — Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 3, 2023

Federal investigators accused Moorefield and co-defendant Mario Flythe, 49, of "promoting and furthering animal fighting venture."

The affidavit claims that Moorefield, Flythe, and their associates applied encrypted messaging services to talk about training the animals, sharing unpleasant videos, and placing wagers.

Moorefield and Flythe are accused of referring to their respective businesses as "Geehad Kennels" and "Razor Sharp Kennels," respectively, as reported by NBC News .

Frederick Moorefield allegedly engaged in dogfighting throughout his career

In his current role, Moorefield "provides technical expertise, oversight and broad guidance on policy, programmatic, and technical issues” relating to worldwide military communication networks and “advises on efforts to achieve and maintain information dominance for the Department of Defense," per the affidavit.

Moorefield's employment as a civilian employee for the Defense Department, which started in October 2008 when he was employed as director of strategic planning for the Air Force Spectrum Management Office, is alleged to have included dogfighting throughout.

Before assuming his current position in March 2020, he served in a number of leadership positions within the Pentagon during that time. According to the profile, he spent 9 years in the Air Force before exiting in 1998.

According to an earlier edition of the FBI, Moorefield was in charge of, among other things, formulating communication plans for the organization's "non-nuclear strategic strike" and "integrated missile defense," and providing advice for Defense Department policy and technical challenges.

Lt Cmdr Tim Gorman, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, stated that the DOD is "aware of the criminal complaint" but would not confirm if Moorefield was still in his job, per New York Post .

Frederick D. Moorefield Jr., a deputy chief information officer, is accused of training fighting dogs for more than 20 years A senior member of the Department of Defense communications staff has been arrested and charged with participating in a dogfighting ring in the D.C. area… pic.twitter.com/VdRUH7rzF1 — Electric Beard (@ElectricBeard_) October 3, 2023

Moorefield and team allegedly involved in dogfighting for more than 20 years

Federal agents took custody of twelve dogs after searching Moorefield and Flythe's Maryland houses on September 6.

Investigators discovered veterinary steroids, a carpet that seemed to be blood-stained, an electrical outlet, and jumper wires, all of which, according to the affidavit, are consistent with equipment used to kill dogs that lose fights.

A weighted vest bearing the inscription "Geehad Kennels" and a training program were discovered during the search of Moorefield's residence.

Prior to the September 26 prosecution, the investigator alleged that Moorefield had been involved in dogfighting for more than 20 years.

Investigators found Moorefield listed at least 18 pups on a dogfighting pedigree website dating back to "at least 2002" when they searched his smartphone.

Per Daily Mail , officers noticed what seemed to be dog blood stains on the basement walls, as well as other stains and dog hair on massive wooden panels.

Authorities took seven canines resembling pit bulls from Flythe's Glen Burnie residence. They discovered weighted collars and a carpet mill during their quest for dogfighting equipment.

According to court documents, Flythe confessed to having taken part in dogfighting in the past during the search of his residence.

Moorefield also admitted using the alias "Geehad" during the search and claimed his barber had been monitoring his canines the weekend before.

He allegedly further misled investigators into believing that his residence had already been visited by and his dogs had been examined by animal control officials.

What are the charges filed against Frederick Moorefield?

According to the complaint, Moorefield is accused of traveling over state lines "in aid of racketeering enterprises," as well as engaging in animal fighting, promoting it, and conspiring to do so.

In the event that they are found guilty, Moorefield and Flythe could each receive a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for owning, raising, or transporting animals for use in an animal fighting operation.

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Pentagon command-and-control official charged with dog fighting

WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. Department of Defense official was arrested and charged with participating in a local dog-fighting ring.

Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., a deputy chief information officer for command, control and communications , was one of two men the Justice Department on Oct. 2 said was apprehended following an investigation into the alleged animal abuse and underground gambling. The other was Mario Damon Flythe.

The Washington Post reported the Defense Department was “aware of the criminal complaint” and that Moorefield was “no longer in the workplace,” citing a department spokesperson.

The deputy CIO for command, control and communications lends expertise and guidance on policy and technical issues related to defense connectivity and data-sharing standards. It also plays a role in spectrum-sharing decisions.

Police searched the Maryland homes of Moorefield and Flythe in early September. They rescued 12 dogs, according to the Justice Department , and recovered veterinary steroids, training regimens, a carpet “that appeared to be stained with blood” and a weighted dog vest. An electrical plug and jumper cables — likely used to kill losing dogs — were also found, an affidavit alleges.

Moorefield was released after being arraigned, records show. If convicted, he could face five years in prison.

Colin Demarest is a reporter at C4ISRNET, where he covers military networks, cyber and IT. Colin previously covered the Department of Energy and its National Nuclear Security Administration — namely Cold War cleanup and nuclear weapons development — for a daily newspaper in South Carolina. Colin is also an award-winning photographer.

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Senior Pentagon official ran vicious dogfighting ring — and executed losers with jumper cables: feds

W ASHINGTON – A senior Defense Department official ran a vicious dogfighting ring — and used jumper cables to execute animals that lost in the savage battles, according to recently released court documents.

Pentagon Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications Frederick Douglass Moorefield Jr., 62, is charged with “promoting and furthering animal fighting venture,” the Maryland US Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

The investigation into Moorefield – who named his dogfighting business “Geehad Kennels,” an apparent homophone for “jihad” – began in 2018 when Anne Arundel County Animal Control discovered the bodies of two dogs in plastic bags that included mail addressed to his Arnold, Md., home, according to a recently unsealed affidavit in the case.

“The distribution and number of recent and healed dog bite wounds (scars) present on both dogs was consistent with organized dogfighting ,” an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit. “Based on this information, I believe that Moorefield sponsored each of these dogs in a dogfight.”

Veterinary medical examiners were unable to determine the dogs’ causes of death, but the investigator believes Moorefield killed them himself if they did not die in a fight, according to the report.

“Individuals who sponsor dogs for dogfighting often kill dogs that lose a fight, and as a result of these fights, I believe the dogs were killed during the fight or that Moorefield killed each of them afterwards for performing poorly,” the investigator added.

Moorefield is accused of being involved in dogfighting throughout his career as a civilian employee for the Defense Department, which began in October 2008 when he was hired as director of strategic planning for the Air Force Spectrum Management Office, according to his LinkedIn profile .

Since then, he has held various Pentagon leadership positions before taking on his current role in March 2020. He also served nine years in the Air Force before leaving the service in 1998, according to the profile.

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman confirmed that the DOD is “aware of the criminal complaint” but declined to say whether Moorefield remained employed in his position.

“We can confirm that the individual is no longer in the workplace, but we cannot comment further on an individual personnel matter,” Gorman said.

In his current position, Moorefield “provides technical expertise, oversight and broad guidance on policy, programmatic, and technical issues” relating to worldwide military communication networks and “advises on efforts to achieve and maintain information dominance for the Department of Defense,” according to the affidavit.

The FBI agent wrote, “He manages efforts defining Department of Defense policies and strategies for design, architecture … and sustainment of critical command and control and communications for non-nuclear strategic strike (and) integrated missile defense.”

Moorefield’s involvement in dogfighting dates back more than two decades before prosecutors filed charges against him Sept. 26, the investigator alleged.

In a search of his cell phone, investigators discovered Moorefield listed at least 18 dogs on a dogfighting pedigree website dating back to “at least 2002.”

In a Sept. 6 search of his home, the FBI discovered “five pit bull-type dogs ” kept in small, thick metal cages in a “windowless room in the unfinished portion of (his) basement,” according to the affidavit.

“The room holding the seized dogs contained items generally used to train dogs for fighting, including

weighted collars and heavy metal chains,” the investigator wrote. “Agents observed an apparatus that

is used for involuntarily inseminating female dogs.”

Investigators also found “a device consisting of jumper cables attached to an electrical plug … used to electrocute a dog after losing a fight,” the ends of which where covered in dog hair and blood, according to the affidavit.

During the search, Moorefield admitted to using the “Geehad” alias, and said Flythe had been watching his dogs the previous weekend, authorities said. He also allegedly falsely told investigators that animal control authorities had already visited his home and observed his dogs.

To support his dogfighting operation, Moorefield is accused of placing his dogs on treadmills, feeding them performance-enhancing drugs such as steroids and specialized dog food and strapping them into weighted vests embroidered with the name “Geehad Kennels,” according to the report.

“In Moorefield’s iCloud account, I found multiple photographs taken in or around March 2023 of what appear to be fighting dogs in cages and/or wearing weighted collars consistent with those used to train fighting dogs,” the agent wrote.

In encrypted messages, Moorefield reportedly conspired with associates to plan dogfights, referring to his female dogs as “hoes.” He also spoke about refereeing other dogfights in Baltimore.

FBI agents also discovered bloodstains from dogfights held at Moorefield’s home, as well as syringes and a medical staple gun meant for closing wounds.

Several of the fights lasted more than an hour, with some of his dogs killing their competitors in the matches. The despicable fights also took place in multiple states, including Maryland and New Jersey, and involved bets of at least $1,500, according to messages investigators discovered on his iPhone.

Moorefield faces charges of participating in, promotion of and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture, as well as interstate travel “in aid of racketeering enterprises,” according to the complaint.

Prosecutors also accused Moorefield’s Glen Burnie, Md.-based barber Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of the same charges in the case after investigators discovered conspiratorial messages on the DOD official’s phone.

During a search, investigators seized seven dogs from Flythe’s property – at least one of which he admitted was a puppy Moorefield had bred and given to him. Agents also discovered dogfighting paraphernalia including “weighted collars” and a treadmill at the barber’s home.

Four of Flythe’s dogs of various breeds appeared underfed, kept outdoors in fenced enclosures. Another three were apparently kept in small metal cages that appeared similar to those in which Moorefield kept his dogs.

During the search, Flythe admitted to participating in dogfighting “in the past” and confirmed that the equipment agents found was used “to exercise his dogs,” according to the affidavit.

He reportedly told investigators he had been friends with Moorefield for more than a decade, with whom investigators discovered he shared more than 730 phone calls between April 2022 and 2023.

The barber and DOD official reportedly met through the dogfighting community.

If convicted, the two would face a maximum sentence of five years in prison, according to prosecutors. They are currently out of custody but remain under supervision.