Rikky Johnson Arrested For Charges Relating to Dog Fighting
On January 12th of this year, Rikky Johnson (DOB 11/28/70) was arrested, and 8 or 9 pit bulls were confiscated. Why? Well, Mr. Johnson was in the dog fighting business at his home at 8107 N. Elmer, here in Tampa, Florida. His charges are as follows:
2 3rd Degree Felony charges for Operation of a Facility for Baiting/Fighting Animals
2 3rd Degree Felony charges for Training Fighting Dogs
Dog fighting is an incredibly cruel bloodsport that leaves the canine participants injured or dead. Additionally, family companion animals are stolen every day to be used as “bait” in this reprehensible cache of violence. Imagine your dog, or your childhood four-legged best friend being abducted and used to train a vicious animal to maul, maim and kill. The blood, guts and gore of the innocent…this is the reality of dog fighting.
What you can do:
Write or call:
State Attorney, Mark Ober
Courthouse Annex - South Tower
800 E. Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: 272-5400
Case Number: 04-CF-000734
--Please, politely ask that Mr. Johnson be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. You may wish to enlighten the prosecution to the fact that dog fighting is not only and cruel to the animals involved, but also promotes drug abuse, gambling and violence towards people. For example, a recent bust in Covington, Georgia on January 17th, netted 123 people in attendance at a large dog fight, more than $250,000 in cash, a dozen guns, and several kilograms of marijuana and cocaine. Dog fighting is big business, and big trouble.
--You can reach Rikky Johnson at his home at (813) 935-0953. Urge him to give up his heinous recreational activities. Please, use a pay phone.
--Contact the owner of the property, Adetutu Abidemi at 1005 W. Busch Blvd, Tampa, Florida, 33612. Mr. Johnson has lived at this address for quite some time, according to his child support Certificate of Delinquency. Maybe Mr. Abidemi is unaware that his real estate is being used to stage events that violate the law and moral standards.
--Please offset all of this negativity with a little praise for the folks at Hillsborough County Animal Services. They made this bust, and have, for the second time in a year, brought the brutal “sport” of dog fighting to the attention of the media and citizenship of the Tampa Bay area.
Please contact:
Bill Armstrong, Director
440 Falkenburg Road
Tampa, Florida 33619
Phone: (813) 744-5660
Fax: (813) 744-5685
All too often, folks enforcing the laws regarding animals receive an abundance of complaints when something goes awry, yet receive zero positive feedback when they do something beneficial. They deserve our thanks, because the dogs that did suffer, and the dogs that would suffer in the future because of Mr. Johnson’s seeming inability to know compassion, deserve to be heard.
--Lastly, please spread the word. Please forward and cross-post this alert. The more voices, the louder the message.
Thank you for all that you’ve done for the animals today.
