Breeder of fighting dogs arrested - 64 seized - Youngsville, LA

Friday, Mar 11, 2005

County: Lafayette

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Acquitted
Case Images: 11 files available

Persons of Interest:
» Floyd J. Boudreaux
» Guy Boudreaux

Case Updates: 8 update(s) available

State Police on Friday raided the home of a Broussard man dubbed by the Humane Society as the "don of dog fighting," seizing 64 pit bulls and arresting the man and his son on charges of dogfighting, animal cruelty and drug charges - for steroids allegedly used to inject the dogs.

Floyd J. Boudreaux, 70, whose pit bulls are known worldwide and reportedly sell for thousands of dollars, and his son, Guy Boudreaux, 40, were booked in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center after an early morning raid at their home on La. 89.

"Today marks the day the 'don of dogfighting' has come down. This man is legendary in the dog fighting world," said John Goodwin, deputy manager for animal fighting issues with the Humane Society's national office. "... This man has been on our radar a long time."

The arrests come after a three-month investigation that initially focused on illegal betting at dog fights, said State Police spokesman Willie Williams.

On Friday morning, animal welfare workers were documenting the animals and placing them into metal cages to be carried to an undisclosed location.

The animals - most found in healthy condition - will probably be euthanized, said Laura Maloney, director of the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The New Orleans-based nonprofit was helping in the dog removal.

Maloney said the dogs could be too dangerous to place in homes.

"These dogs are bred specifically for aggression," she said.

The dogs were on heavy chains in a large fenced lot next to Broussard's home.

Maloney said investigators also found dog fighting "paraphernalia" in the home, including dogfighting magazines, videos of fights and treadmills she said were used in training to help build strength in the animals.

Floyd Broussard lived in a wood-frame house on the property; his son lived in a trailer behind the house, according to police. The family has lived on the property for more than 25 years, neighbors said.

Williams said the father and son are accused of breeding, raising, training and selling dogs for the purpose of dog fighting, which is illegal in all 50 states.

Shane Vincent, who was raised next door and whose parents still live there, said he used to go to "dog pulls" with Guy Boudreaux -contests of dog strength - and knew that Floyd Boudreaux was "famous" for one of the pit bull bloodlines he developed.

But Vincent was surprised to hear about the arrests.

"I never knew him to fight any dogs," Vincent said.

Byron Girouard lives on Rue D'Or, down the street from the Boudreaux home.

"I've known them since I was 5 years old, and I've never heard them talk about fighting dogs," he said. "... Their daughter is my best friend. It's crazy. I heard they had the FBI in there."

Girouard said that the Boudreaux family is well-known in the area and "treated me like a son. If I needed help with anything, they're the ones I know would help."

A search on the Internet turns up several references to Floyd Boudreaux and his pit bulls, including references to him on the Web site for the American Dog Breeders Association.

According to information from the Humane Society, he is known for the "Eli" bloodline of dogs, considered a top choice for dog fighters.

The lineage dates back more than 50 years and Boudreaux's dogs sometimes fetch more than $10,000, according to the Humane Society.

"This man's dogs are sold internationally," Goodwin said.

An Internet Web site that lists contact information for Floyd and Guy Boudreaux offers "Eli" dogs and states that "owning a Boudreaux dog is like owning a piece of history."

The Web site includes a disclaimer that, "No dogs intended or sold for any illegal purposes."

Floyd and Guy Boudreaux each face 64 counts of animal cruelty, 64 counts of dog fighting and one count of possession of steroids.

Williams said Floyd Boudreaux also faces a firearms charge for a sawed-off shotgun allegedly found in his home.

The father and son could face up to 10 years per count on the dog fighting and cruelty charges.

They were being held in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on $101,500 bond each.

Case Updates

A state judge on Wednesday cleared a Broussard man and his son, who each faced more than 40 counts of dogfighting. Floyd Boudreaux, 73, and his son, Guy Boudreaux, 44, were arrested in March 2005 and charged with 48 counts of dogfighting after Louisiana State Police seized more than 50 pit bulls that they believed were being used for illegal dogfighting. District Judge Kristian Earles granted a motion for acquittal, saying the state failed to provide substantial evidence that the men were involved in the illegal sport. The Boudreauxs had waived their rights to a jury trial, so the case was heard by Earles. The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals argued there was ample evidence of an organized dogfighting operation found during a 2005 bust. "What we found on the scene was a how-to on dogfighting, and this verdict is tantamount to ignoring a mountain of evidence," said Ana Zorrilla, chief executive officer of the LSPCA. In addition to the dogfighting tools and paraphernalia found, pit bulls were found with scars that suggested past dogfights, she said. Less than 24 hours after the dogs were seized, the SPCA euthanized the animals. The defense argued that left too little time to investigate the animals' health and determine how the defendants had treated the dogs.

Source: Nola.com - Oct 15, 2008 Update posted on Oct 16, 2008 - 1:37PM

The trial of the Broussard man and his son facing more than 40 counts of dogfighting resumed Tuesday as the state brought forth more witnesses and dogfighting evidence seized at their Youngsville home in 2005. Floyd Boudreaux, 73, and his son Guy Boudreaux, 44, were arrested in March 2005 and charged with 48 counts of dogfighting after Louisiana State Police officers seized more than 50 pit bulls that they believe were being used for illegal dogfighting. On Monday morning, Boudreaux and his son waived their rights to a jury to proceed with opening arguments in the case, which will be ruled on by a judge. On Tuesday, evidence was further examined by the state and defense attorney Jason Robideaux. Louisiana State Police Trooper Jacob Dickinson, a lead investigation detective and witness, said he recovered equipment and materials associated with the keeping and training of dogs for fighting, including dogfighting magazines, pictures, home videos, a treadmill, steroids, surgical equipment to repair wounds from fighting and break sticks, which are used to pry open a pit bull's jaws. Robideaux argued none of the evidence indicated dates or directly linked Boudreaux and his son to acts of training dogs for fighting after it became illegal in 1982. During cross examination, Robideaux also pointed out that after seizing the dogs and putting them in the custody of the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, they were euthanized without Dickinson's consent and before the dogs' conditions could be further examined. But another witness, Wendy Wolfson with the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, testified that her initial examination of the dogs at Boudreaux's home in 2005 showed that the dogs had several wounds that are often affiliated with dogfighting. Some dogs, she said, had scar tissue and scars on the front of their bodies, which usually only results from dogfighting.

Source: The Advertiser - Oct 15, 2008 Update posted on Oct 16, 2008 - 4:31PM

A more than 3-year-old case involving a father and son accused of multiple counts of dog fighting is set to move forward in court Monday. Floyd J. Boudreaux, 74, an internationally known breeder of pit bull terriers, and his son, Guy Boudreaux, 44, each face 48 counts of dog fighting. The two were arrested in March 2005 after Louisiana State Police executed a search warrant at Floyd Boudreaux's Youngsville home. There, police say they seized more than 50 grown pit bulldogs and four puppies that had not reached fighting age. Police also seized 40 chickens, steroids and a sawed-off shotgun. All of the grown dogs were later euthanized, including one reportedly worth at least $25,000. Authorities have said the dogs were marketed to buyers in the United States, Mexico, Japan and other countries. At the time of the arrest, Laura Maloney, then executive director of the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, referred to Floyd Boudreaux as a "Dogfighting Don." The case has been given the first priority in court and is expected to move forward Monday. The case will be prosecuted by Ronald Dauterive. The Boudreauxs are being represented by defense attorney Jason Robideaux. The case was last brought up in court in August but was delayed after the prosecution asked for an continuance because a witness was unavailable.

Source: 2theAdvocate - Oct 10, 2008 Update posted on Oct 11, 2008 - 1:44AM

The trial of a Broussard man and his son charged with dogfighting two years ago has been pushed back, according to records from the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Courts. Floyd J. Boudreaux, 72, was arrested in 2005 by Louisiana State police at his home where officers seized 64 pit bulls and charged him with dogfighting, animal cruelty and drug charges, totaling up to more than 48 counts of dogfighting. Also arrested was his son, Guy Boudreaux, who faces similar charges. A trial date for both men was set for January 14, but records from the clerk of courts indicate that planned start date for a trial has been pushed back. No reason was offered as to why the trial was continued, and no date for a new trial has been set. Floyd Boudreaux is known as a dog breeder across the Acadiana area, and his pit bulls were sold worldwide. If convicted, both Floyd and Guy Boudreaux could face more than 10 years in prison per count on the dogfighting and animal cruelty charges.

Source: The Daily Advertiser - Dec 26, 2007 Update posted on Jan 14, 2008 - 3:15PM

Floyd Boudreaux has been charged with 48 counts of dog-fighting, and two counts of possession of schedule three drugs. His son, Guy, has been charged as principal to 48 counts of dog-fighting. After several continuances in the case, a new trial date for both men has been set for January 14th, 2008.

Source: KLFY - Aug 20, 2007 Update posted on Aug 22, 2007 - 11:31AM

The district attorney's office in Lafayette has filed charges against a father and son arrested nearly a year ago in a dog-fighting raid. Internationally known pit-pull breeder Floyd Boudreaux and his son guy are charged with 48 counts of dog-fighting and possession of steroids. Investigators say the dogs were injected with the drugs to make them stronger. 59 Pit Bulls were confiscated in a raid of the Boudreaux home in Youngsville last March of 2005. 57 of the dogs were put to sleep.

Source: KATC News - January 23, 2006 Update posted on Jan 23, 2006 - 7:17PM

Charges have been filed in a high-profile dog-fighting case against two Acadiana men. Floyd Boudreaux and his son, Guy were arrested in March of 2005. Now, the father and son have been charged with 48 counts of dog-fighting. They've also been charged with one count of possession of testosterone and one count of ketamine, both of which are Schedule III narcotics. Cruelty to animals charges are still on hold. Almost 70 pit bulls, some of them puppies, were seized from the Boudreaux's property and were later euthanized.

Source: KLFY News - January 18, 2006 Update posted on Jan 19, 2006 - 11:50AM

The head of the Louisiana SPCA says all 56 grown pit bulls seized during a raid near Lafayette last week have been euthanized, including a fighter reportedly worth at least 25-thousand dollars. A dogfighting expert with the SPCA said all of the dogs were worth about 250-thousand dollars. Authorities said the dogs were taken from the home of 70-year-old Floyd Boudreaux, who has marketed the dogs to buyers throughout the United States as well as Mexico, Japan and other countries. State police booked Boudreaux, and his son, 40-year-old Guy Boudreaux, with dogfighting, animal cruelty, possession of a sawed-off shotgun and illegal possession of anabolic steroids, a schedule III narcotic. Under Louisiana law, criminal violations associated with dogfighting carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison. Authorities also seized four puppies that had not reached fighting age.

Source: KATC - March 20, 2005 Update posted on Mar 21, 2005 - 7:00AM

References

• The Daily Advertiser - March 12, 2005
• 2theAdvocate.Com - March 12, 2005
• KATC - March 11, 2005
• BizNewOrleans.Com - March 11, 2005
• KPLC - March 11, 2005
• The Daily Advertiser - March 11, 2005

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