A federal judge sentenced Rick P. Hihath to 16 months in federal prison without parole for his role in dog-fighting conspiracy.
The 56-year-old from St. Joseph was part of the federal raid that seized hundreds of dogs on July 8, 2009. Hihath, a former teacher at a state school for children with handicaps, pleaded guilty on October 14, 2009, to conspiring to transport dogs across state lines for dog-fighting as well as sponsoring or exhibiting the fights. Prosecutors say Hihath was the Don King of these dog fights, promoting and sponsoring matches involving pit bulls and transporting the dogs from Iowa and Nebraska to Missouri.
Hihath will surrender to authorities and begin his prison sentence on
April 5. After Hihath's prison term, he must complete three years of
supervised release and won't be allowed to own or possess dogs and also
must complete 100 hours of community service.
The fights took place at Cris E. Bottcher's home in Gilman City, Missouri, prosecutors say.
Bottcher, 49, pleaded guilty to the same charges. His sentencing is scheduled for April 2.
Five other people -- 52-year-old Kevin P. Tasler of Jefferson,
Iowa; 42-year-old Ryan J. Tasler of Woodward, Iowa; 32-year-old Jill D.
Makstaller and her 34-year-old husband, Andrew D. Makstaller, of Perry,
Iowa; and 30-year-old Julio Reyes of Tecumseh, Nebraska -- have pleaded
guilty to transporting pit bulls across states lines into Missouri to
fight at Bottcher's place.
The government is trying to take ownership of Hihath's 12 dogs, the
Makstallers' 23 pit bulls, Bottcher's 11 pit bulls, Ryan Tasler's five
pit bulls and Kevin Tasler's two pit bulls. The dogs are currently in
the custody of the Humane Society. The government is also trying to
make the them reimburse the Humane Society for costs of caring for the
dogs.
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I hope he gets the crap beat out of him in the joint after his butt is reamed out. What he did to the dogs will make his fellow inmates treat him like a child molester.There's a con's code and he will be at the bottom of the barrel. Have fun Rick!!!
You are an idiot michael. The Humane $ociety is a for profit organization whose mere existence depends on sensationalized media stories like this one. They donate ZERO, that's right ZERO dollars to local shelters and step in to help ONLY when there are big headlines that reep in donations from gullible charlottans like yourself, such as in this case. These back yard rednecks are small fishes in a sez of criminals. A sea in which one of the larger fishes are people like Wayne Pacelle and the HUSUS. Wake up retard.
"The government is also trying to make the them reimburse the Humane Society for costs of caring for the dogs."
"TRYING?!" The government is also trying?! Are you serious? The government has the power of Imminent Domain! The IRS can seize personal property to cover tax debt! The government can turn a police action into a war! But the government has to "try" to get these people to compensate the Humane Society?? Its this kind of stupidity that makes my brain hurt.
The government goes in, takes property or assets equal to the compensation required. Period. End of story. Move on. Idiots.
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