LeShon Johnson, a former NFL running back who played one season with the New York Giants, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his involvement in a significant dogfighting operation. The Justice Department described the operation as a “major operation” that bred and sold fighting dogs for profit.
Johnson was convicted last year on six charges related to violating the federal Animal Welfare Act. These charges included the possession, sale, and transportation of animals for fighting ventures. He will also serve three years of supervised release and pay a $30,000 fine.
Prosecutors stated that Johnson had been running the operation, known as Mal Kant Kennels in Oklahoma, since at least 2007. He allegedly marketed and sold stud rights and offspring from dogs with winning fighting lineages to other dog fighters. In August 2025, a jury found him guilty of the charges.
Authorities seized 190 dogs from Johnson's property, which they noted was the largest seizure of its kind in a federal dogfighting case. Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. emphasized that dog fighting is a felony in all states and warned against engaging in such illicit activities.
Johnson played in the NFL from 1994 to 1999, including seasons with the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals before his final year with the Giants. He also played in the XFL. This is not Johnson's first legal trouble related to dogfighting; he previously pleaded guilty to state dogfighting charges in Oklahoma in 2004.
Johnson's attorney, Billy Coyle IV, indicated that a decision on whether to appeal the sentencing has not yet been made, but an appeal has been recommended to his client.