Posted 11:40 pm Thursday, November 19, 2009
Panola County Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Dog Fighting Charges
By DAYNA WORCHEL
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
A 41-year-old Panola County man pleaded guilty to federal dog fighting charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love in the Eastern District Court of Texas on Wednesday.
Harold D. Stewart, of Beckville, faces up to three years in federal prison at sentencing. A date for sentencing has not been set.
On July 8, Stewart and eight others were arrested when agents and officers executed a federal arrest warrant in Panola and Gregg Counties. Nine dogs, mostly pit bull terriers, were seized in rural Panola County and a licensed veterinarian was on hand at the time to examine and provide care to the dogs, according to information from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
A federal grand jury returned a three count indictment on June 30, 2009, charging Stewart and eight others with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.
Dog fighting is banned throughout the United States and is a felony in 48 states. President George W. Bush signed a law two years ago that increased penalties for activities that promote or encourage animal fighting after a long campaign by animal welfare groups.
