I am Eric of I Love Every Dog, and dogfighting is one of the cruelest crimes I know of, because it takes an animal's loyalty and turns it into a weapon for entertainment and profit.
On September 14, 2026, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Florida indicted six Gainesville men, Taurean Jaquan Servance, Jarrett Abram Servance, Jarrett Abram Servance Jr., Terry Lajace Lee, Christopher Eugene Thompson, and Clinton Thomas, on charges connected to an alleged dogfighting operation. All six face conspiracy charges under the federal Animal Welfare Act, and two of the men, Christopher Eugene Thompson and Clinton Thomas, face 13 and 12 additional counts of possessing fighting dogs. The investigation involved the USDA Office of Inspector General, Gainesville Police, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, and Alachua County Animal Resources. A jury trial is scheduled for October 21, 2026, in Gainesville, before the court's chief federal judge. Each count carries up to five years in federal prison.
Dogfighting rings like this one do not just harm the dogs forced into the pit. They fuel a broader culture of breeding, training, and discarding animals treated as disposable. Federal cases like this one are rare and hard-won, and they only matter if prosecutors see them through.
I am asking U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin to reject any plea deal that lets these six men avoid real prison time, and to press for the maximum sentence on every count at trial. Dogs bred and trained to fight for human entertainment deserve prosecutors who refuse to let this get a slap on the wrist.
Please sign to tell the U.S. Attorney's Office that Gainesville is watching this case.
