AKRON, Ohio — An Akron man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail after pleading guilty to charges of dog fighting, drug trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge John R. Adams sentenced 39-year-old Ronald Smith to 123 months in jail. Additionally, Judge Adams ordered Smith to pay $233,367.70 in restitution to K2 Solutions, located in North Carolina, for the care and rehabilitation of the impacted dogs.
In May 2022, Smith was charged with 15 counts of possession and training of dogs for the purposes of an animal fighting venture; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance; distribution of a controlled substance; possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm. He eventually pled guilty to a 22-count indictment.
This past spring, authorities found found Smith to be in possession of items used to train and prepare dogs for participation in dog fighting at two residential properties he owned and maintained in Akron -- on on Fultz Street and one on Herman Avenue. Those items included two treadmills designed for dogs; a caged rabbit placed in front of a treadmill; performance-enhancing and first-aid-related dog medication; numerous "break sticks" spattered with blood and baring teeth marks and a walled pit spattered with blood.
Authorities also recovered a total of 15 pit bull-type dogs, including eight from the Fultz Street residence and seven from the Herman Avenue residence. Additionally, Smith was found to have illegally possessed three firearms and participated in a conspiracy to distribute and possess oxycodone, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues. He had been prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions of aggravated assault, burglary, possession of cocaine, trafficking heroin, having weapons under disability, and disrupting public services in the Summit and Medina County Courts of Common Pleas.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad J. Beeson and Marc D. Bullard prosecuted the case.
