NC teen pleads guilty after years of breeding and training dogs for dogfighting, DOJ says

By
FOX Local
Published October 17, 2026 9:24 AM PDT

Photo by Fairfax Media via Getty Images/Fairfax Media via Getty Images via Getty Images)

The Brief

    • A North Carolina man, Juelz Christopher Daniels, was convicted Thursday on a federal animal welfare charge.
    • The suspect and another man are accused of operating dog kennels and breeding dogs intended for dogfights.
    • A sentencing date for Daniels has not been set. Charges are pending against the other suspect.

A North Carolina man pleaded guilty Thursday to allegations that he and another man bred, trained, and sold dogs to be used in dogfighting and ran at least one kennel where the animals would be raised. 

Big picture view:

The U.S. Department of Justice explained that Juelz Christopher Daniels, of Statesville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to violating the Animal Welfare Act after possessing, training, and selling fighting dogs, as well as advertising them for sale on Facebook.

The backstory:

At least 25 dogs were rescued when law enforcement executed search warrants at three homes linked to Daniels and his alleged associate, Reginald Lionel Goodson, the U.S. Department of Justice announced, noting that some of the dogs were still puppies. 

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Federal prosecutors accused Daniels and Goodson of raising and training the dogs to fight for over five years, from January 2021 to May 2026, and said Daniels would post advertisements for the dogs he bred. 

Dig deeper:

The DOJ explained that Daniels’ ads would be posted onto Facebook Groups dedicated to illegal dogfighting and he would connect with individuals on Facebook Messenger, adding that the 19-year-old suspect would have known that at least some of the buyers planned to use the dogs for fighting.

What they're saying:

"It’s unbelievable people still engage in dog fighting activities," U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said in a June statement announcing the charges.  "We are here to protect innocent animals from the abuse and suffering that comes with dog fighting."

What's next:

Daniels remains in federal custody, the DOJ noted, adding that a sentencing date has not been set yet. While a federal indictment against Goodson in June indicated he faced a count of conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act, Thursday’s statement lists the charges as still pending.

The Source: Information for this article was taken from the Department of Justice. This story was reported from Orlando.


 

Crime and Public SafetyU.S.U.S.North Carolina