Fort Valley man pleads guilty to multi-state dog fighting and drug conspiracy

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A Fort Valley man has pleaded guilty to crimes connected to a multi-state dog fighting and drug conspiracy that took place from May of 2019 until February of 2020.

According to a release from the Department of Justice, 43-year-old Armard Davis (A.K.A. “Black Jack”) was found to be involved in an investigation into a criminal organization involving cocaine distribution and organized dog fighting based out of Roberta, Georgia, and extending into North Georgia, Florida and Alabama in 2019 and 2020. Davis was found to be regularly communicating about all elements of dog fighting including planning, scheduling, and attending the fights, the weight of the dogs involved, the amount of money bet on the fights, sponsoring dogs in fights, as well as selling, breeding, training, and transporting dogs for the purpose of fights.

In February of 2020, law enforcement executing a search warrant at Davis’ property at 407 Vienna Street in Fort Valley where nine pit-bull type dogs were found– many of which had scarring and visible injuries like broken legs and open bleeding wounds, which are consistent with dog fighting.  Agents also found a hanging scale, medical supplies for dog fighting and more.

In January of 2021, DEA agents learned Davis would be partaking in a drug transaction with 46-year-old Antoine Riley of Butler, Georgia– a convicted defendant in a separate case. Agents also observed Davis selling methamphetamine a day later. Davis was pulled over in Peach County and arrested after he was found to be in possession of 468 grams of suspected meth and $3,890 in cash.

Davis has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years to a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine for the drug conspiracy charge and a maximum sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine for the animal fighting conspiracy charge.

Here’s what U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary had to say about the plea:

“Shutting down this criminal organization, which was engaged in drug distribution and barbaric dog fighting, is the direct result of a lengthy and coordinated investigation involving many law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal level,” …“Their combined efforts have made our communities safer.”