as most of you know I mostly try to keep this page reserved for positive information regarding the breed and her true defenders and proponents. however after so many recent 'busts' coming directly from peds online and in this particular county of virginia I thought I would issue a public service warning so that anyone being contacted to sell dogs in this area, especially if being offered a lot of money and to transport them to the area would know of this danger. personally, I think this sounds like entrapment. my understanding is that many of these initial contacts are originating on peds online and that the cops are really forcing this whole 'for fighting purposes' issue even when the people say they are not doing so. notice one of the most recent stories talks about 'their understanding was they would be used for fighting'. pretty vague if you ask me, how can they know what someone else understands? many are greedy though and after having a lot of money waved in front of their noses they are apparently caving in to telling them what they want to hear and driving right into the hornet's nest. use extreme caution when selling dogs anywhere nowadays (with bedford having this much luck other jurisdictions are sure to use the same tactics), but I would avoid all of virginia, and probably pennsylvania as well, altogether if doing so. the following starts chronologically at the bottom and works up.
Second Bedford County Dog-Fighting Arrest in Two Days
Posted: Aug 31, 2010 5:29 PM CDT
Tuesday, August 31, 2010 6:29 PM EST
Reporter: Lauren Compton l Photojournalist: R.J. Nelson
Bedford Co.,VA - Bedford County deputies have arrested another person they say was trying to sell pit bulls for dog fighting. It's the second such arrest in just two days.
Deputies seized three pit bulls they say were being sold for the purposes of dog fighting in an undercover investigation. The dogs had multiple cuts and bruises.
Armon Lydell Peterson is now facing three felony counts of violating animal fighting laws. He's now out of jail on bond.
Sheriff Mike Brown says other investigations have been uncovering these sorts of crimes.
"With the other undercover investigations that we're working on these types of crimes just sort of popped out. It popped out in a way that we couldn't turn a blind eye to it," said Sheriff Mike Brown.
The dogs seized in this case are now at the Bedford County Animal Shelter.
https://www.wset.com/Global/story.asp?S=13076845
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August 30, 2010
2 Pa. men arrested on dogfighting charges in Bedford Co.
Two Pennsylvania men face dogfighting charges in Bedford County after allegedly selling a pit bull and two of its male pups to undercover officers.
Authorities on Monday charged Martin W. Laluz, 39, and Daryl C. Klotz Jr., 20, both of Bethlehem, Pa., with three felony counts each of engaging in the fighting of animals for amusement, sport or gain.
Undercover investigators met with Laluz and Klotz at a Stop In Food Store at 11268 West Lynchburg Salem Turnpike in Montvale and bought the three dogs from them with the understanding that the dogs had been bred to fight, according to a news release from the Bedford County Sheriff's Office.
-- Rex Bowman
https://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/258789
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Updated: 4:21 PM May 27, 2010
Man Accused of Running Dogfighting Ring Arrested in Virginia
Bedford County
A man accused of running a nationwide dogfighting operation has been arrested in Virginia.
Posted: 3:40 PM May 27, 2010
A man accused of running a nationwide dogfighting operation has been arrested in Virginia.
Bedford County deputies arrested Jeffrey Denny Tuesday (pitchick says this would be May 25th).
They say they caught him when he tried to sell pit bulls to an undercover officer.
Deputies say this was something Denny had done several times before.
Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown says, "He's acknowledged that he has sold hundreds of game bred dogs throughout the United States, from the East Coast to the West Coast."
Investigators say Denny told them he was on his way to Charleston, West Virginia to sell dogs when he was caught.
https://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/95046729.html
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N.C. man pleads guilty to selling fighting dogs in Bedford
Friday, May 07, 2010
BEDFORD -- A North Carolina man who sold five pit bulls to a Bedford County investigator during an undercover sting pleaded guilty Thursday to promoting dogfighting.
Some of the dogs bore signs of wounds from previous fights, according to prosecutors.
William Williams, 25, of Marshall, N.C., faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced Aug. 31.
In Bedford County Circuit Court on Thursday, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Mark Robinette said investigators snared Williams during an investigation into dogfighting when an informant told them he had seen an ad for fighting dogs posted on an online message board.
An investigator had several phone conversations with Williams, who had apparently posted the ad, to arrange the purchase of the pit bulls -- one of which Williams said had won two matches, Robinette told Circuit Court Judge James Updike.
On Sept. 19, Williams met with an officer at a motel in Bedford. The officer, posing as a dogfight coordinator, agreed to buy all five pit bulls, which Williams hawked as fighting dogs.
"Some of the dogs," Robinette said, "had scars around their heads which indicated involvement in prior fights."
When the officer gave Williams the agreed-upon $6,500 for the dogs, other officers moved in and arrested Williams.
He is free on bond while he awaits sentencing. The dogs were turned over to the Bedford County Animal Shelter.
-- Rex Bowman
https://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/245961
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Marshall man William Travis Williams arrested on dogfighting charges in Virginia
October 27, 2009
BEDFORD, VA. ’ A North Carolina man was arrested on animal fighting charges after an extensive, two-month, interstate undercover investigation, according to Sheriff Mike Brown.
William Travis Williams, 25, of Marshal, N.C., was placed under arrest after receiving $6,500 for transporting and selling the five pit bull dogs to undercover agents disguised as ‘dog fight‘ coordinators from central Virginia.
On Sept. 19, members of the Bedford County Animal Control and Field Deputies, assisted by the Humane Society of the United States, seized five pit bull dogs, in cages, from the Best Western Motel, in Bedford.
Investigations show that these dogs were transported to Virginia for the purpose of engaging in dog fighting in central Virginia and West Virginia.
Williams was arrested under a new felony law that makes it illegal for anyone to transport, own, train or sell animals into the state of Virginia for purposes of engaging in an exhibition of fighting with another animal.
If convicted, Williams could face 1-5 years in prison and up to $250,000 fine.
This investigation is ongoing with more arrests anticipated.
The seized animals are currently being held at the Bedford County Animal Shelter.
https://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091027/NEWS01/91027017
9/12: here is a reply I received regarding this post (which by the way is mine, NOT peds online who stole it from this site with no credit):
Thanks for the heads up.. No reason why law abiding citizens such as myself who do not sell any animdl or any other thing for illegal purposes should be illegally entrapped... A lot of individuals like myself rescue dogs despite their physical appearance or condition... Should we abandon adoption and allow these animals to go to hell and not be cared for as they deserve... That sounds just like what American culture has done with our vietnam veterans and homeless in america... If our pets get in an accident should we chose to have them put to sleep and buried under the old Christmas tree... Every animal in America should be allowed to exist without public prejudice ... Shame on the countless racist Americans who should not be permitted to be represented as such... Hitler must still live through the Racist and Slave like mentality of these radicals trying to rid us of our rights to own one of the greatest breeds known 2 man... The true AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER... God bless America and those RACISTS that will perish in hell too...