Three Columbus men get jail time in dogfighting case

By ALAN RIQUELMY — Posted: 10:10pm on Apr 19, 2012; Modified: 10:24pm on Apr 19, 2012


Three out of six men accused last summer of dog fighting or watching a dog fight at a Garden Drive home have either been convicted at trial or pleaded guilty.

Cases against the remaining three men are still pending, prosecutors said.

Roger Thomas, 24, went to trial last month on a misdemeanor dogfighting charge and was convicted. Superior Court Judge Bobby Peters declined to sentence him at the time, saying he would wait until all six cases are resolved, court records indicate.

Douglas Armour Jr., 21, pleaded guilty two days after Thomas' conviction to a misdemeanor count of dogfighting. He was sentenced to a year in jail, records state.

On Monday, Armour's father -- 44-year-old Douglas Armour Sr. -- pleaded guilty to giving a false name and a felony count of dogfighting. He was sentenced to a year's incarceration, followed by four years' probation, officials said.

Misdemeanor charges against Marcus Thomas, 26, and Courtney Dixon, 21, are pending. A felony dogfighting charge against Joseph Best, 21, is also pending, officials said.

Two of the men face felony charges because they allegedly had the dogs fight. The misdemeanor counts are for watching the fight.

Senior Assistant District Attorney LaRae Moore said officers responded July 17 to a Garden Drive home after getting a number of complaints.

"They went out there and went to several residences," Moore said of police. "They could hear what they believed to be dogs growling and snarling and fighting and they believed they heard people egging them on."

Officers walked to the back of the home and saw a group of men standing around two fighting dogs.

One of the officers then pulled his gun and ordered everyone to the ground, police said.

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