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Former Deputy Sheriff charged with drug trafficking - 48 fighting dogs seized, others charged with drug trafficking |
Dunn, WI |
June 14, 2006 |
(Photo courtesy of WISC-TV) Robert Lowery, of the 3500 block of Lake
Farm Rd, a former Dane County Sheriff's Deputy from Dunn, accused of drug
trafficking, is petitioning for the return of 48 dogs taken from his farm
on June 14, 2006.
(Photo courtesy of WISC-TV) Investigators believe that Lowery
was using the dogs for illegal fighting. Lowery maintains in a petition that
he and his partner are professional breeders and that's why he had the number
of dogs he did on his property.
(Photo courtesy of Henry A.
Koshollek/The Capitol Times) The dogs including 1 house dog, a
black labrador and 26 chickens, 2 goldfish, a macaw, 2 parakeets and a very
traumatized cat were seized during a drug raid conducted by State Agents.
Officials found marijuana, cocaine and cash. They also found items used to
train dogs for fighting. The dogs are being cared for by the Dane County Humane
Society. Some of the pitbulls have wounds and scars consistent with dog fighting,
some are blind and some are missing legs. A judge will decide the fate of
the dogs, but it is most likely they all will be euthanized.
Lowery pleaded not guilty to federal drug and weapons charges, but remains in jail.
(Photo courtesy of WISC Channel
3000) Lowery has had previous run-ins with the law and pitbulls
have been seized from his property before.
Lowery was a deputy from 1979-1981 but was fired for misuse of a government telephone. He was arrested for possessing and delivering cocaine in August 1982. In September 1982, Lowery's farm was raided and 30 pitbulls that were used in illegal dogfights were seized.
Lowery was later convicted of 2 counts of felony animal fighting, and became the first person in state history to be convicted of the crime.
Lowery, Carr and Lane are charged with conspiracy
to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.
(Photo courtesy of WISC-TV) Dzikowich, Lowery's live in girlfriend,
was charged with dealing cocaine.
The care of the pitbulls is costing the shelter $788 a day.
The animal abuse case is still under investigation.
Reference:
The Freelance-Star
Capital Times
Dane County Humane Society
WISC Channel 3000