Hampton Bays Man Arrested, Charged In Dog Fighting Ring

According to Suffolk County’s Acting Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron, it was one of the largest and most brutal dog fighting rings this county has ever seen, and an area man was arrested and charged with being part of it.

Charles Macwhinnie, 52, of Hampton Bays, was one of 10 individuals arrested in connection with the alleged dog fighting ring, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini said was operating across Long Island, in New York City, and several other cities. He is charged with violating the prohibition against animal fighting, a felony, and two misdemeanor counts of fifth degree conspiracy. Other suspects hail from across Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Joined at a press conference on Monday, August 9, by representatives from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), New York State Police, Suffolk County Police Department, New York City Police Department, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Nassau County Police Department, and the Nassau County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the D.A. spoke of a criminal network that “bred dogs, tortured them, and put them in serious harm’s way just to make a buck.” Eighty-nine of the animals were rescued by the investigation’s culmination.

Detectives infiltrated the enterprise, Mr. Sini reported, and what they saw, said Commissioner Cameron, “deeply disturbed our detectives.” He said that, as a dog lover himself, “this is one of the most disturbing cases I’ve seen in my 36 years with our department.”

A collaborative effort between the county D.A.’s office and police department plus local, state, federal, and no-governmental agencies began in early 2021, when detectives looked at dog fighting occurring at residences across Long Island.

Members of the ring bred and trained pit bulls to fight, putting them into their first “rolls” — practice fights — when they were just 6 months old. Subpar living conditions, inadequate nutrition and a rigorous training program were all designed to increase a dog’s tenacity, agility, and bite strength.

Orchestrated by a broker, fights would sometimes last for hours, with members of the ring treating the injured dogs, or killing them if they were too hurt to fight again. Which dogs would fight depended on weight and sex. Both dog owners would pay a fee to have their animal enter a match, with the winner receiving all proceeds. Additionally, said Mr. Sini, the defendants would bet on the outcomes of fights. Successful fighters were bred and their puppies sold.

Raids were conducted at 11 different sites, with an array of dog fighting paraphernalia discovered. Investigators found veterinary surgical supplies, such as a skin stapler; stands used to immobilize female dogs during breeding; plugging cords, which are used in the electrocution of dogs; steroids and other supplements used to enhance the dogs’ performance; “break sticks,” which are used to break dogs apart by their mouths when they are fighting; and equipment used to strengthen the dogs’ agility, tenacity and bite strength, including treadmills and spring poles.

The dogs were found in various locations in the residences, including basements, garages, and sheds: some didn’t have food or water. Most displayed medical conditions consistent with dog fighting, including scarring and broken teeth, as well as fearful behavior. They were relocated to an emergency shelter operated by the ASPCA, where they are receiving veterinary forensic exams and behavior evaluations, medical care, and behavioral enrichment and treatment.

District Attorney Sini announced the office’s empaneling of a special grand jury to investigate the case, to develop strategies to more effectively protect animals, and to make legislative recommendations to combat animal cruelty.

“The special grand jury will be considering recommendations we can make to strengthen the laws on animal cruelty and further protect animals from this kind of senseless abuse,” he said in a release detailing the case. “We need to hold these bad actors accountable for their violent actions and these crimes need to be treated seriously under our law.”