Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Dog Fighting, Meth Trafficking Charges

Joel Brown, a 38-year-old man from Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty to federal charges involving dog fighting and methamphetamine distribution. Authorities found 11 pit bull-type dogs chained with heavy tow chains attached to buried tire axles on his property, a setup typical of organized dog fighting, and rescued the animals following complaints about their conditions. Brown posted a video on social media showing a scarred pit bull running on a treadmill-like device used to train fighting dogs. Law enforcement also seized approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine from his home. He faces between five and 40 years in federal prison for the drug charges and up to five years for the animal fighting charges, with sentencing scheduled for a later date. The investigation involved Columbus Humane, the Columbus Division of Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.