A federal grand jury has indicted a Whiteford father and son on charges tied to an alleged dogfighting operation that investigators say ran out of their Harford County property for roughly a decade. Theodore Lamont Stinson, 48, and his son, Theodore Lamont Stinson Jr., 25, both of Whiteford, face a dozen federal counts stemming from the breeding, training and sale of pit bull-type dogs, more than a year after 44 animals were pulled from the property.
According to FOX45 Baltimore, the indictment accuses the Stinsons of conspiracy to engage in an animal fighting venture, along with buying, selling, delivering, possessing, training or transporting animals for such a venture. The charges also include using mail or other interstate channels to promote an animal fighting venture, and interstate travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises, per the seed CBS Baltimore reporting. Prosecutors allege the father and son, and unnamed co-conspirators, bought, sold, bred, trained and used the dogs for fighting from April 2016 through the present.
The pair allegedly ran their operation under a kennel name, KLK, which they used to advertise their dog inventory, according to the indictment as cited by FOX45 Baltimore. As reported by Daily Voice, the Stinsons began operating KLK more than a decade ago. The indictment further alleges the two men kept animals on their property for sale, transport and breeding on behalf of themselves and alleged co-conspirators, and that they personally oversaw the dogs — with Theodore Lamont Stinson advising his son on proper dog care and coordinating transportation for sales, while Stinson Jr. transported dogs to their destinations.
Deputies Found 44 Dogs and Fighting Equipment at the Property
The case traces back to a search warrant executed at the Whiteford residence on July 17, 2025, after a citizen reported inhumane conditions. Per the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and Animal Control officers removed 44 bully-type breed dogs from multiple structures on the property and transported them to a local shelter for evaluation and care that day.
The investigation had begun six days earlier, on July 11, 2025, when deputies and animal control officers responded to a complaint about the welfare of several dogs. The sheriff’s office reported finding violations involving the dogs’ access to water, shelter conditions, air quality, space, bedding, ventilation and temperature controls. Investigators who searched the property also reported finding 44 pit bull-type dogs, veterinary medication and supplies, a breeding stand and a spring pole or rope accessory used for training and conditioning fighting dogs, the sheriff’s office said. Paperwork related to dog sales and pedigrees was also recovered, according to the same account.
Potential Prison Terms and Broader Federal Crackdown
If convicted, both Stinsons face multiple federal prison terms of up to five years each, according to prosecutors cited by Daily Voice — including up to five years on the conspiracy count and up to five years on charges tied to animal-fighting-related transactions and handling. The federal law underlying the case, Title 7, Section 2156 of the U.S. Code, makes it unlawful to knowingly buy, sell, possess, train, transport or deliver an animal for participation in an animal-fighting venture, and also bars using the mail to promote such ventures.
The Harford County case lands amid a string of federal dogfighting prosecutions across the country this year. In September, a federal grand jury indicted seven Chesterfield County men after more than 100 pit bull-type dogs were seized in a separate investigation, according to WBTV. In April, federal prosecutors in Boston announced the arrest of a Carver, Massachusetts man on charges connected to an alleged multi-year dogfighting conspiracy involving breeding, training, fighting and illegal gambling.
The Harford County Sheriff’s Office said its animal-cruelty investigation remained ongoing following the July 2025 rescue. The agency’s release did not address what became of the 44 dogs after their transfer to a shelter, and the indictment does not specify the roles of any alleged co-conspirators beyond the father and son.
