By By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER-Managing editor
A Flomaton man was found guilty of animal cruelty regarding a hog/dog event that occurred in early March.
On Friday, Judge Dave Jordan ordered Daniel Eugene Brock, 60, to be detained in the Escambia County Jail for a maximum of 48 hours, one year probation and to pay $55 in court costs.
Brock's sentencing came nearly a week after his trial. During that week, Judge Jordan reviewed nearly two hours of videotape of the event that was held in Flomaton. The video was taken by an undercover agent with the Department of Agriculture and Industries.
In March two other men, along with Brock, were charged with operating the sporting event in late February. Court dates have not been set for Sammy Ray Portwood, 36, or Stephen Riddle, 46.
After the event, agents recovered nearly 45 hogs that were being used for a hog/dog sporting event. Of the 45 hogs rescued, 10 of the hogs tested positive for pseudorabies and were buried in late-March.
The March arrests came after a nearly two-year investigation of the cruel treatment of hogs during the sporting events, which were held at the "Double P Catch Pen," located behind the residence of Portwood.
Portwood later turned himself into sheriff's investigators and was later released on a $2,000 bond.
At the event, spectators were charged an entry fee to watch individual matches where a hog is released into a pen and a dog is timed to see how long it takes for the dog to catch the hog.
There is currently a bill waiting to be passed in the legislation that would make the sporting event illegal to operate. Currently, the event is not illegal.
District Attorney Steve Billy believes justice was served.