Michael Vick Pleads Guilty To Dogfighting Charges
Posted August 24, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Atlanta Falcons embattled quarterback Michael Vick’s father says he asked his son numerous times to give up dogfighting, but that didn’t save his son from having to file a guilty plea on Friday to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and helping kill pit bulls.
An unnamed source says Vick will not admit to killing dogs or gambling on dogfights, but instead bankrolled the fights.
In a statement of facts agreed to by all parties, Vick did not gamble on the fights but put in money to keep it going. He was also involved in killing six to eight dogs that did not perform well.
“Vick agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of Vick and two of the co-defendants, Philips and Peace,” says the statement.
In the plea agreement, the government committed to recommending a sentence on the low end of the federal sentencing guideline range of a year to 18 months. However, the conspiracy charge is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Vick’s three co-accused, Tony Taylor, Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips, pleaded guilty late last week.
Late Friday, Vick was suspended indefinitely from the NFL.
