HAMPTON, Va. — A former Hampton Sheriff's Office lieutenant and her husband have been sentenced to prison on dogfighting charges, according to the city's police division.
Back on January 24, Michael Johnson was found guilty of 10 counts of animal fighting and eight counts of animal cruelty. His wife, Carolyn Johnson, was found guilty of eight counts of animal cruelty.
Watch previous coverage: Hampton Sheriff's Office lieutenant charged with animal cruelty
A judge sentenced both of them last Friday.
Michael Johnson will spend one year behind bars for the dogfighting charges, then spend five years on probation. In the sentencing, a judge ruled that he can't own an animal ever again. He was also fined $10,000.
Carolyn Johnson won't spend any time in jail.
This goes back to a case from July 2023 when prosecutors say four adult pit bulls and four pit bull puppies were found living in poor conditions in a shed behind the Johnson's house on Ireland Street. They say the dogs were covered in feces, fleas, and had fly bites on their ears.
Investigators say they also found material related to dogfighting, including photos and videos on Michael Johnson's cell phone.
At the time the Johnsons were first charged in July of 2023, Carolyn Johnson was a Hampton's Sheriff's lieutenant. The sheriff's office says Johnson retired on Aug. 1, 2023.
