Ypsilanti Township man pleads guilty to possessing dogs for fighting
An Ypsilanti Township man pleaded guilty to charges related to dog fighting to avoid trial this morning in Washtenaw County Circuit Court.
Court officials said B.J. Jarrell, 33, pleaded guilty as charged to two counts of possessing animals for dog fighting before jury selection began. Prosecutors dropped one count of animal cruelty and won't prosecute Jarrell as a habitual offender.
Investigators said they caught Jarrell and his business partner, Daniel Ryback, trying to sell pit bull puppies online for the purpose of dog fighting. Authorities set up a sting operation and purchased two dogs. They also seized five others.
Ryback, 33, pleaded no contest to one count of possessing an animal for fighting in July and will be sentenced Tuesday, records show.
The charges are punishable by up to four years in prison, but Jarrell entered into a sentencing agreement with Circuit Judge Donald Shelton that will keep him out of prison, officials said. He could still be sent to jail pending the findings of a pre-sentence report.
Jarrell was on probation for a domestic violence conviction when charges were filed in April, court records show. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 2, and Jarrell remains free on bond.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 723-623-2530.
Comments
Kelsey
Fri, Oct 8, 2010 : 3:40 p.m.
you people have NO idea what you are talking about,why dont you all go get a life,and stop commenting on stuff that you dont know anything about! my uncle B.J isnt the person who should be getting charged with this,he only helps people sell the dogs,he doesnt do anything like cut there ears off,or else ALL my dogs would have there ears chopped off,and all my friends who got a dog from him. you people are all pathetic.
Kristen
Sun, Oct 3, 2010 : 11:47 a.m.
Billy Willy- Just another quick correction. BJ never went to prison for larceny from a motor vehicle. He was sentenced to a short boot camp term and probation and continued to screw up so eventually served some prison time for numerous violatons while on probation. He was placed on a tether before the prison term and continued to use drugs during this time and eventually got in trouble for having a dirty patch while on tether. He was not sentenced to prison for larceny. Look it up if you have doubts but make sure you are correct before you post to others, this is how rumors start.
billywilly
Wed, Sep 29, 2010 : 9:03 p.m.
Well i have read all of your comments and am very disturbed by the hostility you hold..Number one Mr.Jarrell was not the owner of these dogs which were puppies,he did no cutting on there ears this was all done by the puppies owner..In fact it would be nice if people would think or find out the facts before passing judgement on another human being..He was not on probation for larceny from a motor vehicle he went to PRISON..And as for they ought to put him in jail and throw the book at him he is in jail, it is the owner of the dogs that isn't going to jail the one that mutilizied his puppies ears and did all the horrible things he had posession of the puppie no one else so i think maybe you have these 2 men mixed up...Fact the owner of the puppies is not going to jail he is paying a fine and restatution is all now.. How is that for your facts.. And why is all these articles based on Mr. Jarrell he didn't own the dogs or hurt them in any way he was helping a friend sell the pups is his only crime..So let's here about the owner of the dogs and all of his abuse..
Gayle
Tue, Sep 28, 2010 : 1:22 p.m.
So maybe it's time to vote out the judge and the prosecutor?
julieswhimsies
Tue, Sep 28, 2010 : 10:50 a.m.
I do not understand why this man is not serving significan jail time for his crime. He is a repeat offender. How can we call for the sterilization of an entire breed of dogs (pit bulls), and yet, fail to punish known abusers of these anumals? This man, and his ilk have no business being on the streets.
ShermanNC
Tue, Sep 28, 2010 : 7:30 a.m.
Stevek Could not agree more, this person deserves jail time NOT probation. How many more felonies before he serves time? Not to mention animal cruelty. Get him off the streets!
Steve Pepple
Tue, Sep 28, 2010 : 6:23 a.m.
A comment that violated our conversation guidelines was removed.
stevek
Mon, Sep 27, 2010 : 6:59 p.m.
@Clara--yes. Larceny from a motor vehicle, Larceny in a building, Probation violation, Domestic violence--3rd offense, Probation Violation, And now 2 more charges in this case. Why in the world is he not being charged with being a habitual offender? Did they decide he was sorry and is going to turn his life around? I don't think so. Throw this loser in jail for the rest of his life.
clara
Mon, Sep 27, 2010 : 6:38 p.m.
Is B.J. also the guy who went to prison for Larceny from a Motor Vehicle? Wasn't the Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence - 3rd Degree? Was he not also on probation for Larceny In a Building? Did he not fail probation last time?