Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson receives five-year federal prison sentence

Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson was sentenced to five years in federal prison on Thursday following his conviction for operating a large-scale dogfighting business. An Oklahoma federal judge also ordered Johnson to serve three years of supervised release and pay a $30,000 fine. Prosecutors stated that Johnson, who played for the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Giants, operated the business known as Mal Kant Kennels since 2007. Authorities seized 190 pit bull-type dogs from his property in 2024, the largest number confiscated from a single individual in a federal dogfighting case. While defense attorneys requested a shorter sentence of 15 to 21 months citing Johnson's diagnosis of dementia and Parkinson's disease, prosecutors had sought 10 years based on the scale of the operation.

• 5:23 PMYahoo Sports — Former NFL player sentenced to 5 years in federal prison over dogfighting operation