Seven Men Indicted After More Than 100 Dogs Seized in South Carolina

A federal grand jury has indicted seven men from Chesterfield County, South Carolina, after law enforcement seized more than 100 dogs during searches conducted between April and July 2026. The nine count indictment alleges a conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act, possession of dogs for animal fighting ventures and, for two defendants, unlawful possession of firearms.

The charges are allegations, not findings of guilt. The Justice Department says every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

What the federal indictment alleges

Federal prosecutors allege that the defendants maintained properties where pit bull type dogs were bred, housed and trained for fighting from September 2019 through July 2026. The indictment also alleges that equipment associated with dogfighting was kept at the properties and that images and videos of fighting or injured dogs were shared.

The seven defendants named by the Justice Department are Lonnie Shane Gaskins, Terry James Gaskins, Shamar O'Ryan Sutton, Avery Robinson, Derwayne Terry Miller Sr., Derwayne Terry Miller Jr. and Kevin Knotts. Lonnie Gaskins is identified in the federal release as a former Chesterfield County sheriff's deputy.

How the dog seizures unfolded

The indictment describes searches on several dates and at several properties. On April 26, authorities allegedly found seven dogs with Lonnie Gaskins and approximately 27 with Terry Gaskins. On June 9, they allegedly found approximately eight dogs with Sutton and approximately 77 at a property associated with Robinson.

On July 22, authorities allegedly found approximately eight dogs associated with Miller Sr. and Miller Jr., and seven associated with Knotts. Because the figures are approximate and come from multiple properties, Buddylio is using the Justice Department's overall description of more than 100 dogs rather than presenting the individual figures as a precise total.

Why the 77 dog seizure is distinct

The Justice Department describes the seizure of approximately 77 dogs from the property associated with Robinson as the largest single property dog seizure in South Carolina history. That record refers to one location. The broader total of more than 100 dogs covers the full investigation across several properties and dates.

WYFF independently reported the federal charges and the 77 dog figure after reviewing the Justice Department announcement. The available federal release does not describe the current placement, medical condition or adoption status of the seized dogs, so this article does not speculate about their outcomes.

The federal case follows earlier state charges

The new federal indictment follows a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigation announced in April. SLED said at that time that it had filed state charges against Lonnie Gaskins, Terry Gaskins, Sutton and Chris Hale Gaskins. Humane World for Animals assisted with the removal and care of 34 dogs during that earlier phase of the investigation.

The state announcement and the federal indictment are separate legal developments. They name overlapping but not identical groups of people and should not be treated as one set of charges. The September federal release does not announce a verdict in either proceeding.

What happens next

The Justice Department says the animal welfare offenses carry a maximum possible prison term of five years. Miller Jr. and Terry Gaskins face maximum terms of up to 15 years on the firearm offenses. Maximum penalties are not sentences, and any sentence would be determined only after a conviction under the applicable law and facts.

The federal investigation involved the USDA Office of Inspector General, SLED, Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Marshals Service. Buddylio will update this page if authorities release a material court development or verified information about the dogs' care. Readers can follow related cases through Buddylio's Dogs coverage and broader animal recovery reporting in the Rescue section.

How we reported this: Buddylio reviewed the named sources, checked the organizations and figures shown above, and added context for animal lovers. Any illustration is labeled and does not depict the actual animals or scene. This report was checked on September 5, 2026. The federal charges are allegations. No conviction or verified public update on the current placement of all seized dogs was included in the sources reviewed by Buddylio. Articles are editorial content, not veterinary advice.