Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : 3 Airmen Held Over Dog Fights

Five men, including three Air Force sergeants, were arrested Tuesday and seven dogs were recovered from an illegal pit bulldog fighting ring, authorities said.

Frederick Tate, 23, George Wood, 31, and Russell Joyner, 32, all staff sergeants at Edwards Air Force Base, were arrested on suspicion of cruelty to animals, said Sgt. Patrick Hunter of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Anthony Juniors, 25, of Lancaster, and Bobby Auston, 32, of Palmdale, were also arrested behind Auston’s home in the 37400 block of Manchester Street where deputies found the men betting on the outcome of a fight between pit bulldogs, Hunter said.

He said Auston is also being investigated over marijuana plants found at his home.

“The place was set up for dog fights,” Hunter said. “There was this mass exodus of people over the back wall as deputies pulled up.”

Hunter said three of the men were arrested at the house and five dogs “that were scarred up” from previous fights were recovered from the residence by Animal Control officers.

Two men tried to escape by climbing over the back wall of the property carrying two seriously injured pit bulls that had been fighting, Hunter said.

The two were found after a quick search by deputies. The dogs, found at a nearby construction site, had severe bite wounds over their entire bodies, including their muzzles, necks and feet, Hunter said.

“It was not a pretty sight,” he said.