Defendant convicted on multiple counts for operating dog-fighting venture

DUBLIN, Georgia: A Wilcox County man has been convicted of possessing dogs for animal fighting and has been sentenced to federal prison.

The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen and announced by Margaret E. "Meg" Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Bernard Wallace, 54, of Rochelle, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and a $4,000 fine followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to 40 counts of Possessing a Dog for the Purposes of an Animal Fighting Venture.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents and testimony, in September 2022 Crawford County Sheriff's Office initiated an investigation into the defendant based on multiple reports of animal cruelty in Knoxville, Georgia. The defendant had a total of 35 dogs chained up without access to food or water; most did not have adequate shelter and were malnourished.

In October 2024, Johnson County Sheriff's Office began receiving similar complaints reporting animal cruelty on a property in Wrightsville. Investigators determined that Wallace was the property owner and was also the subject of the same reports in Crawford County.

The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Agriculture was called in to assist with the ongoing investigation. The investigation revealed that Wallace possessed multiple dogs tied to trees and barrels, lacked proper access to food and water, and that he utilized Facebook to sell the animals.

By December 2024, USDA-OIG, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and J.C.S.O. deputies executed a search warrant on the Wrightsville property and found the dogs to be housed in conditions that fostered aggression, chaining them to objects that limited their movement, and possessed equipment to breed the animals and train them to fight.

"Thanks to the diligent, collaborative efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners, this defendant's operation has been permanently dismantled," said U.S. Attorney Heap. "We remain deeply committed to prosecuting animal fighting ventures and protecting the community from those who foster violence and neglect."

This case was investigated by the FBI, the USDA Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, Crawford County Sheriff's Office and Animal Control, and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.

"Dogfighting is violent and inhumane, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture OIG will continue to pursue those who commit this heinous crime," said USDA Inspector General John Walk. "I commend our USDA OIG special agents, the U.S. Attorney's office, and law enforcement partners who brought this defendant to justice and rescued 40 dogs from ongoing cruelty."

This case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica K. Rock and Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese.