Daytona Beach man convicted of dogfighting charges, animal cruelty, gets 18 years in prison

A Daytona Beach man was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison after he was convicted of dogfighting and animal cruelty charges.

Noble Gene Geathers, 56, was convicted after a five-day trial this month of 12 animal cruelty counts, nine animal fighting counts and one count of animal fighting-property promoting. Each charge was a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Circuit Judge Leah Case became emotional when she recounted the factors she considered in the sentence. She wiped at her eyes with a tissue. She sentenced Geathers to prison and fined him $10,000.

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"It is a hard case all around," Case said, adding she felt the emotion in the courtroom. She noted that Geathers was caring for several generations of his family.

On one side of the courtroom were relatives and supporters of Geathers and on the other were animal control officers and at least one animal rights activist.

Assistant State Attorney Michael Willard, who prosecuted the case along with Assistant State Attorney Dan Megaro, requested a 27-year sentence.

Geathers' defense attorney, Carlus Haynes, said he has seen cases in which defendants with criminal records who have harmed people don't get sentences that long. He also said a co-defendant in the case reached a plea deal with prosecutors which calls for a two-year prison sentence followed by probation.

The co-defendant, Benjamin Ponder III, 35, has entered no-contest pleas to similar charges as part of a plea agreement and has yet to be sentenced.

When the judge asked Willard about the difference in sentences, he said the case against Geathers was stronger.

Before pronouncing the sentence, the judge cited evidence of dogfighting, including multiple broken teeth on dogs. The judge said the dogs belonged to Geathers and were on property that was linked to him, according to evidence and testimony.

“The dogs were in horrible condition,” Case said. “ … We are talking about wounds and scars that are consistent with animal fighting.”

She said some of the dogs had fractured teeth consistent with dog fighting. She said one dog had a broken jaw and exposed nerves. She said the dogs were in need of medical treatment and were suffering from infections like hookworms or ringworms.

“There is no doubt that these dogs were used for dogfighting,” Case said.

42 dogs seized from Daytona Beach property

The investigation began on Feb. 22, 2021, when Daytona Beach Police and Volusia County Animal Control officers seized 42 dogs, including puppies, from a home at 225 Reva St.

Some of the dogs had heavy chains attached to them. Some were being kept in makeshift wooden cages while others were tied to vehicle axles buried in the ground. Other dogs were kept in carriers.

Detectives determined that some of the dogs were being bred and then used in an organized dogfighting ring. Detectives also found dogs with wounds in different stages of healing.

Police also found dog supplements and injectable medication which was often used in organized dogfighting.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, dogfighting is a felony in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, yet it continues. It describes the activity as "one of the most heinous forms of animal cruelty."

Dogs used for fighting are typically raised in isolation, so they spend most of their lives on short, heavy chains. They are regularly conditioned for fighting through the use of drugs, including anabolic steroids to enhance muscle mass and encourage aggressiveness.

Geathers's defense attorney, Carlus Haynes, said in an interview that he respected the jury's verdict and the judge's decision. He said that Geathers no longer owned the property. He said Geathers was breeding the dogs and was not involved in fighting the dogs. But he said some people bought the dogs for fighting.

Geathers had faced charges related to dogs once before in 2017 but the case was later dropped because of legal problems with a police search, according to prosecutors.

According to the conditional plea agreement, co-defendant Ponder will be sentenced to two years in state prison followed by eight years probation and will be eligible for early termination of probation. An addendum to the plea agreement was not available Friday night.

A third man, Earl Holmes, 53, also faces principal to cruelty to animal charges in the case and other charges and his case remains open.

In a press release, State Attorney R.J. Larizza warned others involved in dogfighting to take note of the long prison term.

“How we treat other living things is a reflection of our heart and soul. We will continue to aggressively prosecute and seek lengthy prison sentences for those who choose to commit such crimes,” Larizza stated.

One of the people at the sentencing hearing was Debbie Darino, the president of the Ponce Animal Foundation.

"I think the sentence was appropriate. I think Judge Case was very fair in considering both sides," Darino said. "I feel sorry for the family that they have to endure the repercussions of Mr. Geathers actions but he will go to where he needs to go."

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida man in Daytona Beach dogfighting case gets 18 years in prison