A judge sentenced an Autauga County man to 10 years in prison recently after he pled guilty in January to felony dog-fighting charges.

Terrance McNeil, a native of Atmore, was arrested in his hometown in June 2008 after an anonymous tip led officers with the Atmore Police Department and The Humane Society of Escambia County to a dog-fighting ring on North Sunset Drive in Atmore.

“Upon their arrival, investigators found several vehicles parked just outside a trail that led into a thickly forested area, ending at a plywood ‘pit’ with a carpeted floor, surrounded by makeshift floodlights powered by a portable generator,” Renee Jones, executive director for The Humane Society of Escambia County, said. “Investigators also found dog fighting paraphernalia including buckets of water for washing down the pit bulls prior to the fight, scales for weighing the dogs to verify fighting weight, fighting dog pedigrees and a handgun with two bullets for the losers of the two fights scheduled for that night. Two dogs still in crates were also recovered.”

Also arrested that night were Johnathon Stallworth of Beatrice, and a grand jury indictment was later handed down for Patrice Marshall, also of Atmore, for felony dog fighting. Stallworth and Marshall have not yet gone to trial.

While on bond, McNeil was arrested a second time as the result of an undercover investigation that resulted in a raid on his residence in Autagua County, just outside of Prattville, on Sept. 24, 2008. In addition to a second arrest for McNeil, Marshall was also arrested a second time, along with McNeil’s twin brother, Terrell McNeil and Shantay Larissa Robinson were also arrested.

According to Jones, 20 dogs and seven puppies were seized with McNeil, Marshall, McNeil and Robinson all facing 27 counts of felony dog fighting. Each count carries a potential sentence of one to 10 years in prison and/or up to $15,000 fine for each count.

According to the sentencing order, McNeil was asked “if he had anything to say why the sentence of the law should not be imposed upon him and the defendant had nothing to say,” according to Jones.

McNeil will spend 10 years in the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections.