Wilcox Co. man arrested on gun and dog fighting charges

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

A Wilcox County man is behind bars tonight. He’s accused of knowingly possessing a dog for the purpose of having the dog participate in an animal fighting venture.

Sheriff Larry Colston says the arrest comes after a raid at a residence in the Lower Peachtree community following a three year investigation.

Forty-eight year old Antonio Rico Rodgers is facing gun and dog fighting charges following a raid at his home last week.

“On July the 2nd a search warrant was executed and a warrant was served and an arrest was made on 172 Gillis Pugh Road,” said Chief Deputy Monett Dear.

Dear says about a dozen local and federal officers conducted the raid — and seized 47 pit bull dogs from the property.

“It looked like they hadn’t eaten anything in a while. And they was uh, look like they was suffering. They needed water and all. And they was in pretty bad shape. You hurting and being cruel to an animal. Some of them overcome it and some of them don’t,” said Dear.

Dozens of plastic barrels that the dogs were kept in — remain scattered around the property.

Dear says the dogs are believed to have been used for dog fighting.

“If the dog fight and they get wounded, sometime they will kill the dogs.”

Rodgers is being held in federal facility in Mobile.