Chiefs Defensive Lineman Turns Himself In On Animal Cruelty Charges
TUSCALOOSA, AL — Former University of Alabama football standout and Super Bowl LVIII champion Isaiah Buggs turned himself in at the Tuscaloosa County Jail Thursday morning on two misdemeanor charges of second-degree animal cruelty. Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.As Patch previously reported, the charges come after a civil petition filed Wednesday in Tuscaloosa County District Court shows said two arrest warrants had been obtained by the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney's Office accusing of cruelty to animals after two neglected dogs were found in late March at a Tuscaloosa residence he was renting.Buggs was given a total bond of $600 — $300 for each charge — and released after being booked Thursday morning. Court documents alleged that when TPD and the City of Tuscaloosa's Animal Control officers arrived, they found a grey and white pitbull on the screened-in back porch surrounded in feces, with no access to food or water. They also reported finding a black Rottweiler mix locked in a metal cage in direct sunlight with no access to food or water.The dogs were reportedly seized on March 28 due to both being severely "malnourished, emaciated and neglected."The residence also appeared to be abandoned at the time of the initial call, with a neighbor telling police that the dogs had been on the back porch for at least 10 days.The pitbull was euthanized in April by Tuscaloosa County Metro Animal Shelter after becoming increasingly aggressive and failing heartworm treatment at the shelter, while the black Rottweiler mix tested positive for Parvo and only weighed 52 pounds when it arrived at the shelter — a dangerously low weight for that kind of dog breed.The Rottweiler is still in the care of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Animal Shelter and pending a ruling in court over whether Buggs should be allowed to own it or any other animals.Buggs is expected to have a hearing date within the next 10 days to determine whether he is fit to have custody of the surviving dog.Buggs' agent Trey Robinson in a statement to ESPN said that his client denies the allegations and said Buggs does not condone the mistreatment of any animal."The dogs at issue did not belong to him and he was unaware they remained at the property in question," Robinson said. "Furthermore, we believe the City of Tuscaloosa's decision to file the charges today is part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and its Police Department to besmirch Mr. Buggs' name and reputation as part of an on-going subversive campaign to force the close of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge."Patch also reported that Buggs is facing pending charges in other municipal court cases, including the accusation that he shoved Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley into other TPD officers during an arrest in April and another incident that month where a woman claimed he pointed a pistol at her outside of Kings Hookah Lounge during a verbal altercation that got somewhat physical a times. Buggs owns Kings Hookah Lounge and has also been cited numerous times for violating the city fire code due to overcrowding, failing to pay city sales tax and operating without a business license. Robinson went on to claim that the efforts to smear Buggs are not new, following his arrest on the two previously mentioned occasions at his business."[B]ut each time no public record was made of these arrests," he said. "Rather, the City used the threat of pursuing and publicizing both the allegations filed today and these arrests as leverage against Mr. Buggs by offering to drop and not pursue them in exchange for his voluntary surrender of his business license. Mr. Buggs declined the City's offer as he has serious concerns about the City's and Police Department's motivation for deciding to target his business, which he plans to bring to light as part of his defense of the allegations and charges filed against him and his reputation and business."Buggs, whose current address was mentioned as a residence on Joshua Street in Northport, was a primary contributor on Alabama's 2018 national championship team and was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs when they won Super Bowl LVIII earlier this year.Buggs was signed to the Chiefs' practice squad in 2023 ahead of the Super Bowl run and signed a reserve/future contract with the team in February.Originally from Ruston, Louisiana and drafted in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buggs has also played for Las Vegas Raiders and the Detroit Lions.Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at [email protected] article Chiefs Defensive Lineman Turns Himself In On Animal Cruelty Charges appeared first on Tuscaloosa, AL Patch.
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