Dogfighting Case: Vick set to plead guilty

Michael Vick has accepted a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Richmond, VA  - Michael Vick has decided to plead guilty to charges stemming from a dogfighting ring.

Vick’s attorney, Bill Martin, released a statement Monday to announce that his client has accepted a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, who were reportedly working on additional charges against the embattled Atlanta Falcons quarterback.

“After consulting with his family over the weekend, Michael Vick has asked that I announce today that he has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors regarding charges pending against him,” Martin said in a statement.

“Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made. Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter.”

Vick was charged with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and sponsoring a dog in an animal-fighting venture. He is expected to enter his guilty plea next Monday in U.S. District Court in Virginia.

Details of the agreement have not been made available, but the charges are punishable by a prison sentence of five years and a fine of $250,000. The plea bargain would likely cut Vick’s jail time.

Vick’s NFL career is also now in jeopardy. He initially told the league he was innocent of the charges.

The league issued a statement Monday afternoon upon hearing news of Vick’s plea bargain agreement.

“We are aware of Michael Vick’s decision to enter a guilty plea to the federal charges against him and accept responsibility for his conduct,” the statement read. “We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told both our office and the Falcons. We will conclude our own review under the league’s personal conduct policy as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have asked the Falcons to continue to refrain from taking action pending a decision by the commissioner.”

Vick was told by the NFL not to attend Falcons training camp following the indictment in July. The Falcons had decided to suspend Vick before commissioner Roger Goodell asked them not to take action until the league completed its own review of the situation.

The Falcons also released a statement Monday.

“We are certainly troubled with the news today concerning Michael Vick’s guilty plea to federal charges,” the Falcons’ statement read. “It is our understanding that the terms of Michael’s plea will not be available until next Monday, August 27. Additionally, commissioner Goodell has asked us not to take any action until he has completed his own review of Michael’s situation. Accordingly, we will have no further comment until that time.”

Vick’s three co-defendants in the case each negotiated plea bargains recently, the last two just this past Friday.

Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips both pleaded guilty last Friday in U.S. District court, while Tony Taylor was the first to plead guilty, doing so on July 30.

The charges in the case stem from an operation allegedly conducted at a house owned by Vick in Smithfield, Virginia.

According to the July 17 indictment, the defendants were involved in an ongoing animal fighting business based out of Vick’s property from early 2001 through sometime in April of this year.

Since Vick purchased the property in June 2001, the defendants formed a dog fighting enterprise known as “Bad Newz Kennels” and used the property for housing and training pit bulls used in dog fights. From at least 2002, the defendants and others sponsored dog fights on the property and brought dogs from several states to participate in the events.

During the fights, the participants would place bets ranging from the hundreds to thousands of dollars. The fights would last until either the death or surrender of the losing dog, which would then sometimes be put to death by drowning, hanging, gunshot, electrocution or other methods.

Also, the indictment said the defendants participated in dog fights in North and South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and elsewhere in Virginia.

The dog fighting affair was first brought to light when Vick’s home was raided on April 26 when authorities seized 54 dogs, along with several other pieces of equipment associated in dogfighting.

The property was again searched on June 7 by federal officials, who uncovered the graves of several pit bulls on the property.

Vick denied any involvement in dogfighting conducted on his property when the case first broke, and initially blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity.

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