United States of America v. Gecoby Penn

Mobile, Alabama criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with possessing a dog for the purpose of having the dog participate in an animal fighting venture

Monroeville Dogfighter Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

Gecoby Penn, age 37, was sentenced on Friday to two years in prison after entering guilty pleas to seventeen counts of possessing a dog for the purpose of having the dog participate in an animal fighting venture. Penn entered his guilty pleas on May 3, 2024.



According to court documents, on Saturday, July 29, 2023, law enforcement with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office received a tip that there had been a dogfighting event on Thursday, July 27, 2023, hosted by Gecoby Penn. The source reported that there were multiple dog fighting matches and as a result many dogs had been injured. The source was able to describe lacerations to the dogs' bodies and one dog had a gaping laceration to the head and facial area. On August 3, 2023, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on Penn's property. The officers seized thirty-eight dogs. Twenty-one of the dogs had injuries and/or scarring consistent with dogfighting. The dogs were tied-up outside without access to shelter or water, and temperatures on that day were in excess of 100 degrees. Also seized during the search warrant were modified treadmills (manual and electric) for dog fight conditioning, injectable veterinary canine medications and syringes, a weighted dog vest, chains and weighted collars, a 4-wheeler mounted running collar, a Flying Jinny rotary runner, a training pool, a dogfight corral with bloodstains, a wooden arena, and canine remains. The blood stains on the wooden arena were sent for laboratory testing and were confirmed to contain canine DNA. The remains on the property were examined by a veterinarian and confirmed to be canine remains. The thirty-eight seized dogs were treated by veterinarians. Twenty-two of them had to be euthanized.



At sentencing, Judge DuBose imposed a 24-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon Penn's discharge from prison. During his term of supervised release, Penn will not be permitted to own or possess any dogs. Penn was ordered to pay $62,408.06 in restitution to the Monroe County Animal Shelter, $2,348 to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and $1,700 in special assessments.



The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Monroe County Sherriff's Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.