Pentagon Official Frederick Moorefield Charged in Federal Dogfighting Conspiracy

Federal authorities have charged a senior Pentagon communications official with operating a dogfighting ring in the Washington, D.C., area for more than two decades, according to The Washington Post. Frederick D. Moorefield Jr., the Pentagon's deputy chief information officer, age 62, and co-defendant Mario Flythe, age 49, were charged with promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture. Both men are residents of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. If convicted, each could face up to five years in federal prison.

The indictment charges Moorefield and Flythe with conspiracy to engage in animal fighting, as well as selling, buying, training, and transporting dogs for dogfighting purposes, among other counts. The two men were indicted on 10 felonies each, including conspiracy. The FBI had been investigating the alleged ring, which called itself the "DMV Board," for years, and an affidavit written by FBI Special Agent Ryan C. Daly stated that Moorefield had allegedly been involved in dogfighting since at least 2002. According to the indictment, thousands of dollars were bet on some matches, which often ended with the losing animal put to death.

Twelve dogs were seized by federal authorities following searches of Moorefield and Flythe's Maryland homes on Sept. 6. Law enforcement also recovered veterinary steroids, a carpet that appeared to be stained with blood, and an electrical plug with jumper cables, which the affidavit identifies as consistent with devices used to kill dogs that lose fights. Moorefield and Flythe allegedly used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with people across the country about dogfighting bets, dogs that died from fights, and media reports about others charged in similar cases. The two men also allegedly discussed training methods, planned upcoming fights, and exchanged information about evading law enforcement. Moorefield and Flythe used the monikers "Geehad Kennels" and "Razor Sharp Kennels," respectively, to identify their operations.

Moorefield was responsible for issuing guidance on Defense Department policy and technical issues and for strategizing communication plans involving the agency's "non-nuclear strategic strike" and "integrated missile defense" programs. His LinkedIn profile showed positions with the Air Force and the Defense Department dating to 1989, and he had been promoted to his most recent role five years ago. A Pentagon spokesperson said that the Defense Department is "aware of the criminal complaint" and that Moorefield "is no longer working in this building."

At their arraignment on Oct. 6, both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges before U.S. District Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite in Baltimore. A federal judge ordered both defendants released pending trial at their initial court appearance. Investigators' interest in Moorefield first arose after agents responded to a 2018 report of two dead dogs found in a plastic dog food bag, which also contained mail addressed to him.

References

[1] The Washington Post. (2023, October 02). Defense Department official Frederick Moorefield charged in dogfighting ring. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/10/02/moorefield-charged-dog-fighting-department-defense/

[2] NPR. (2023, October 03). A top Pentagon official is charged with promoting dogfighting. https://www.npr.org/2023/10/03/1203434183/department-of-defense-deputy-dogfighting

[3] NBC News. (2023, October 03). Senior Defense Department official charged with helping run dogfights. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/senior-defense-department-official-charged-helping-run-dogfights-rcna118647

[4] The Daily Record. (2023, October 04). Pentagon official among 2 Md. residents indicted on dogfighting charges. https://thedailyrecord.com/2023/10/04/pentagon-official-among-2-md-residents-indicted-on-dogfighting-charges/