Bellflower man arrested in LA County dog fighting ring along with 11 others thanks to phone tip

The latest phone tip to the L.A. County Dogfighting Hotline (1-877-662-3483) about a pending dog fight led to the felony arrests of 12 men from four Counties Saturday evening, June 23, 2012.
One of those arrested include a man from Bellflower.
The felony arrests for dogfighting and felony aiding and abetting dogfighting took place at a residence in the unincorporated community of Littlerock in the Antelope Valley of northern Los Angeles County.
The tipster called the hotline and said that a man was taking his dog to be involved in a dog fight. Humane Society hotline officials contacted deputies with the Community Oriented Policing Services Bureau (COPS) of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, who conducted a surveillance of the man and his dog.
The suspect traveled to several locations in the Antelope Valley, eventually arriving at a house in the 8900 block of East Avenue T-12, in the unincorporated community of Littlerock on Saturday, which is policed by the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
When sheriff’s deputies approached the house, they saw eight pitbull dogs which appeared to be fighting dogs, some of which were tied to stakes in the yard. The dogs were kept apart from each other at the property so they would be ready to fight.
Several dogs showed scars believed to have been caused by previous fights. They also found medical supplies, including syringes and medication allegedly used to treat dogs after they were wounded in fights. Scales used to weigh dogs and a study guide on the breeding of dogs and dog fighting was recovered.
A dog fighting ring and a treadmill type machine (made of wooden slats) used for the forced physical conditioning of the dogs was held as evidence.
Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control responded to the scene, assisted in the investigation, and took control of the dogs.
The man deputies had been following as well as the homeowner and ten other adults were detained and eventually arrested for felony dogfighting or felony aiding and abetting a dogfight. The suspects were booked at Palmdale Sheriff’s Station and are being held in lieu of $20,000 bail. Suspect Wilhite, the resident of the location, was additionally booked on three outstanding traffic warrants totaling $199,000.

The suspects are scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday, June 26, 2012, in Antelope Valley Court:
1. Paul Manuel Wilhite MB/48, Resident of the location in Littlerock
2. Kevin Benard Thomas MB/46, San Bernardino
3. Adan Manzo MH/36, Palmdale
4. Jeffrey Reyes Tedtaotao MO/36, Bellflower
5. Cornelius Bailey MB/58, Barstow (father)
6. Cornelius Bailey III MB/35, Compton (son)
7. Theron Lee Mahone MB/44, Los Angeles
8. Julio A. Chavez, MH/47, Orange
9. Herman Ceasar MH/62, San Bernardino
10. Jeremy Maril Anderson MB/43, Victorville
11. Miguel Angel Leon MH/37, Littlerock
12. George Allen Jones MB/60, Lancaster

“The tips to the L.A. County Dogfighting Hotline (1-877-662-3483) and directly to law enforcement are making it possible for us to stop the tragic and criminal abuse of dogs,” said Sheriff’s Lieutenant Larry Gregg, LASD COPS Team. “Dogfighting isn’t a sport. It’s a crime.”