Virginia man charged with animal cruelty after suspected dog-fighting arena found

LEONARDTOWN, Md. – Maryland prosecutors have charged a northern Virginia man with animal cruelty after the discovery of a suspected dogfighting arena earlier this year.

WTOP-FM reports that the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Damien Terrell Wilson of Woodbridge, Virginia, with 47 counts of animal cruelty last week.

St. Mary’s County sheriff’s deputies got a tip about a suspected dogfighting arena on a power line cut-through in February and found evidence of dogfighting at the location.

Investigators found paraphernalia tied to dogfighting and 11 dogs, but officials say three dogs were euthanized when behavioral evaluations determined that rehabilitation would be too dangerous.

Wilson is scheduled to appear in court next month.