Six Lowcountry residents convicted of dog fighting

Six people have been convicted of dog fighting in Hampton County by 15th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Culbertson.

The six convicted were all from Fairfax.  They include: Willie O’Banner, Steven Carter, Quan Simmons, Michael Carter, Travis Warren, and Winston Robinson III.

Culbertson found all six guilty of the crime with a sentence of 30 days in jail suspended upon paying $500 to the Clerk of Court for a public defender fee.

A bench warrant was also issued for a 26-year-old Hampton man for not appearing in court concerning the charges.

Judge Culbertson dropped the charge of being present at a facility of a dog fight on Shawona Carter, 25, of 28760 Old Salkehatchie Road, Brunson.

The convictions were due to a Feb. 11, 2007 incident which took place on 2474 Boundary Road, a road which is actually located along the Hampton County/Allendale County line. The Allendale County Sheriff’s Office originally responded to the call as Hampton County Sheriff’s Office units arrived soon after to a call of a possible dog fight in progress. As Allendale County units arrived on scene, they observed a large group of people in the yard of the residence that appeared to be engaged in fighting dogs. A total of seven pitbull and mixed breed dogs were located at the residence, four of which were apparently injured from the fighting and taken into custody by the Community Animal Shelter of Hampton County. Up until a few months ago the dogs were housed in the facility before recently being euthanized.