TN: Forest fire leads workers to suspected dogfighting ring

Posted: Nov 19, 2012 5:31 PM EST

MOORESBURG (WATE) - Firefighters with the state's forestry department working a fire in Hawkins County uncovered suspected dogfighting and cockfighting rings on private property.

Tim Phelps of the Tennessee Division of Forestry Administration said the crew was working a fire that began earlier in the week on Short Mountain, east of Mooresburg.

While crews worked to contain the fire on Saturday, they discovered roughly 20 dogs and 20 roosters chained up in the woods near Tater Hill Road on top of the mountain.

The animals were taken to area animal shelters in Hawkins, Greene, Washington, and Hamblen Counties because they were in danger due to the fire.

Hawkins County Sheriff's deputies used Humvees to get to the animals to safety. The process took almost nine hours to complete.

Investigators believe the dogs were involved in fighting in part because of bite marks and wounds to the animals.

One man, Charvez Nelson Francisco, of Knox County, was charged Sunday with cruelty to animals and felony cock and animal fighting.

Forestry officials believe the forest fire is a result of arson.

As of Monday afternoon, the fire had burned 1,700 acres and was about 20 percent contained.

Forestry workers as well as the VFDs of Hawkins County and some in Grainger County were working to put out the fire.

They described the fire as slow-burning and said the area has a very rugged terrain.

Though no structures were in immediate danger, emergency workers called for a voluntary evacuation for residents in Mooresburg.

Forest fire leads workers to suspected dogfighting ring

 

Dogs, chickens recovering after rescue from suspected fight training area

Dogs, chickens recovering after rescue from suspected fight training area

By JESSA LEWIS 6 News Reporter

MORRISTOWN (WATE) - Almost all of the animals recovered from a suspected dogfighting training area near Mooresburg were recovering Tuesday.

Seven of the 21 dogs were taken to Morristown Hamblen Humane Society after they were removed from the remote area where the sheriff's office said there was no food or water.

"When we first got there, they were bringing the adult dogs down first with the big chains around their necks. Next, they came down with these little puppies that were found up there," said Andrea MacDonald of the Morristown-Hamblen Humane Society.

Four of the puppies went to the vet for examination. The other three went straight to the Morristown shelter.

"They're pretty good for the first part, except for the wounds the four had. They just had burn marks or scars, scarring form either being beaten up by other dogs or, one actually has a tear going down his leg, which is healing now," said MacDonald.

All seven puppies that made their way to Morristown are now doing well. Unfortunately, one of the other dogs had to be euthanized as a result of its injuries.

"The animals were not aggressive toward humans. We were able to put our hands on them, pick them up. But whenever we would get the dogs out, they would show aggression towards each other," said Hamblen County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Tony Allen.

The Hawkins County Sheriff's Office said this was not a dogfighting operation and that there was not an elaborate viewing area.

"The wounds are consistent to dogfighting. Not every single animal up there did have wounds to it, but a large majority of the animals did have scarring tissue around it," Chief Deputy Allen added.

The sheriff's office hopes to prosecute the case to its fullest extent.

The suspect, Charvez Nelson Francisco, faces multiple charges in the case, including four counts of cruelty to animals.


All seven puppies that made their way to Morristown were doing well on Tuesday.

Dogs, chickens recovering after rescue from suspected training

 

Knoxville man facing dogfighting charges defends himself

Knoxville man facing dogfighting charges defends himself
Posted: Nov 20, 2012 9:00 PM EST By MONA NAIR 6 News Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) – A Knoxville man accused of dogfighting says he's innocent.

Charvez Francisco faces dogfighting charges as well as animal cruelty charges in Hawkins County.

Investigators say they stumbled on the possible training operation for dogfighting while they were battling a wildfire near Mooresburg.

Francisco says he has nothing to do with dogfighting. He tells 6 News the charges stemmed from quite the opposite. He says he was rescuing the animals on his farm property and breeding them.

This stems from a lifelong love of animals.

"I just took them to take care of them," said Francisco. "These are dogs I've had for years. Same blood line, some are rescue dogs," he went on to explain.

Authorities say they found 21 dogs in all. One had to be euthanized because of its injuries. The remaining dogs are now at local shelters.

"I don't do any kind of dogfighting at all. This is all about love for dogs," he explained.

"The wounds are consistent to dogfighting. Not every single animal up there did have wounds to it, but a large majority of the animals did have scarring tissue around it," Chief Deputy Tony Allen with the Hamblen County Sheriff's Office said.

"There's only one dog that already had marks. That was an older dog I got from a guy that didn't want her anymore," Francisco said about the wounds investigators say they found on the animals.

Authorities also said the dogs were chained when they found them and may not have been fed or given water regularly. Francisco says that's false. He drove to the property to feed the animals himself everyday or he paid his cousin to do the same.

"The police have made me out to be a bad guy, which I'm not. I love my animals like I love my family," he said.

He says it's a family that's been taken away from him and that's the worst part of this all.

"That's what they've done. They robbed me of my family," he said.

Francisco has hired an attorney, hoping to clear the charges against him.

Video at link:
Knoxville man facing dogfighting charges defends himself