District Attorney Steve Giddens explained that "it is a class C felony in Alabama to fight, or to keep or train dogs to fight, and the policy of this office is that we take that seriously. We have six individuals from Sylacauga under indictment for dog-fighting, two of whom have already pleaded guilty.

It is also a class C felony to knowingly attend a dog-fight in Alabama.The sentencing range for class C felonies in Alabama is one year and one day to 10 years in a state penitentiary.

The first two individuals in the Sylacauga case to plead, Corey Hughes and Bennie Borden Jr., were sentenced to six years in prison and 10 years in prison, respectively. "Each of them had one previous felony conviction," Giddens said, "and probation was denied in both cases."

The remaining Sylacauga suspects are Horace Godfrey, Donnie Buckner, Arthur Bradford, and a juvenile. The three remaining adults are on the jury trial docket, but Giddens said he did not know for sure if these cases would be called.

The Sylacauga cases became known through a videotape. "The Sheriff's Office, and particularly Lt. Kenny Archer, had to make the determination as to where the incident occurred, when it occurred and who was involved," Giddens said. "All of them ended up being identified and charged."

Update 11/13/01: Horace Godfrey, 27, and Arthur Bradford, 26, offered guilty pleas before Circuit Judge Jerry Fielding. Both are scheduled for sentencing in January.

The fifth adult defendant, Donnie Buckner, 25, remains on the trial docket.

All six were charged based on an incident in October 2000, when sheriff's deputies responded to a report of dogfighting at Godfrey's residence. Evidence of a dogfight was obtained, and after obtaining permission to search, a videotape showing a dogfight attended by all six suspects was discovered. The tape also shows the individuals betting on the fights, and money actually changing hands.

Godfrey pleaded guilty to two counts of participating in a dogfight and one count of attending a dogfight. The sentencing recommendation is for five years per count, to run concurrently.

Bradford pleaded guilty to one count each of participating in and attending a dogfight, as well as to one misdemeanor count of resisting arrest for fleeing from law enforcement trying to serve an arrest warrant on him in April.

Buckner faces one count each of participating in and attending a dogfight.

Update 1/31/02:  Horace Godfrey, 27, Sylacauga; was charged with 2 counts of participating in a dogfight, 1 count of attending a dogfight and sentenced to five years to serve on each count, concurrent.

Arthur Lee Bradford Jr., 26, Sylacauga; was charged with distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, participating in and attending a dogfight, escape in the third degree; he was sentenced to 12 years, five years, five years, five years and 12 months, respectively with probation denied.

Update 6/1/02:  Circuit Judge Julian King set a $200,000 bond for Corey Hughes , 28, of 156 Pine Grove Road, Sylacauga, who is facing an attempted murder charge for an unrelated Odena incident. 

Hughes is charged in the shooting of Shamese Lawson on Easter Sunday.  The incident culminated with a police standoff and a shootout that left two other individuals, including a Sylacauga police officer, wounded.

The incident apparently began earlier in the day at an Easter party. The events leading up directly to the shooting began with four adults (including Hughes) and a juvenile flagging down Lawson's car.

Hughes was positively identified as Lawson's shooter, but it is still unclear which suspect wounded Sylacauga police officer Willie Kidd.

Update 1/11/03:  A Talladega County grand jury has indicted 9 prisoners for their participation in a riot at the county jail in August.

Talladega County District Attorney Steve Giddens said Corey Hughes and 8 other prisoners were charged with felony escape for forcing their way into the jail's control tower and opening other cell doors on August 13th.

Hughes was a state inmate at the time of the riot, and was awaiting transfer to a penitentiary.

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