Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson, who ended his career as a member of the New York Giants in 1999, has been charged in a federal dogfighting case.
Johnson, 54, was arrested March 20 and was then released on bail, according to multiple media outlets that cited court records which also noted that 190 dogs were seized from him last year.
The Department of Justice announced in a news release this week that Johnson is being charged with violating the federal Animal Welfare Act.
"Animal abuse is cruel, depraved, and deserves severe punishment," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and will remain committed to protecting innocent animals from those who would do them harm."
Johnson, who made his first court appearance earlier this month, is charged with "possessing 190 pit bull-type dogs for use in an animal fighting venture and for selling, transporting, and delivering a dog for use in an animal fighting venture," per the news release.
The DOJ said it believes that the number of dogs is the largest ever seized from a single person in a federal case.
Johnson faces 21 counts and if he is convicted faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.
Johnson, who previously pleaded guilty to state animal fighting charges in 2004, was a third-round selection by the Green Bay Packers in the 1994 NFL Draft after playing at Northern Illinois. He also played as a running back and a kick return man for the Arizona Cardinals and the Giants over the course of his NFL career. He played in 62 games, rushing for 955 yards and scoring seven touchdowns.
