PLACERVILLE, Calif. — A Placerville man pleaded guilty to possessing dogs for use in animal fighting, according to U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert.
Carlos Villasenor, 40, was accused of running a dog breeding business, where he bred dogs from desirable dogfighting bloodlines. Authorities said he took the dogs between California and Mexico for dog fighting, trained the dogs for fighting on his property and sold the dogs to buyers.
In June 2021, authorities served a search warrant at his property and seized 27 pit bull type dogs. A chihuahua mix was also seized, which was officials said was used as a "bait dog." It followed an incident in September 2020 where sounds of dog fighting allegedly came from Villasenor's Placerville property.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, numerous dog fighting implements were also found, including a breeding stand, treadmills and vet supplies, like skin staplers, antibiotics, syringes and IV bags.
As part of his plea agreement, Villasenor surrendered the dogs and property seized by law enforcement. He's expected to be sentenced by a judge on March 20, 2023, potentially facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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