Mobile Greyhounds

[Jeff]

Before 27 other people post this, here it is. If you feel the need to discuss it, do it OFF Greytalk, find someplace else to vent about it.

 

Here's the info

Warrants issued in alleged dog track race-fixing scheme

Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson Jr. today announced that he has issued warrants for 13 people in connection with dog-drugging and race-fixing allegations at Mobile Greyhound Park.

 

The group allegedly fed drugs to favored dogs in order to slow them down before races in 2005 and 2006, Tyson said. The drugging cost bettors $67,000, said Eddie Menton, Mobile County Racing Commission chairman.

 

The 12 men and one woman who have been charged have already had their racing licenses revoked, Menton said. Because of agreements between different state racing commissions, the accused should not be able to legally set foot at a race track anywhere in America, Tyson said.

 

Three of the men allegedly involved were charged with tampering with racing animals and transmission of racing information for illegal gambling purposes: 30-year-old Don Westley Wilson, of Mobile; 18-year-old Thaddeus Burden Lett, of Mobile; and 70-year-old Vertis Gerald Sealy, of Theodore.

 

Ten others were charged just with transmission of racing information for illegal gambling purposes: 25-year-old Joseph Edgar Hempfleng, of Theodore; 24-year-old Kenneth William Christopher, of Theodore; 26-year-old Michael Dangleo Varner, of Theodore; 42-year-old Tony Wade Hendrix, of Mobile; 24-year-old Christopher Samuel Copeland, of Theodore; 32-year-old Christopher Wayne Taylor, of Irvington; 24-year-old Dusty Dedrick Webb, of Theodore; 23-year-old Michael Arthur Roach, of Mobile; 22-year-old Whitney Leigh Bishop, of Spanish Fort; and 24-year-old Mathew Davis Wade, of Theodore.

 

Both charges are felonies that carry sentences of one to 10 years in prison.

 

Tyson said Hempfleng, Roach and Bishop are already in custody, and he expects more of the suspects to turn themselves in before the end of the day.

 

- Dan Murtaugh, posted at 11:13 a.m.; updated 11:19 a.m. to include names of suspects

 

For a complete report, see Saturday's Press-Register