A Monroeville man is heading to county court facing 28 charges related to dog fighting.

Davon Carter “Big Boy” Williams, 32, pleaded not guilty during a preliminary hearing Jan. 25, according to a transcript of the event.

The charges stem from three separate dog fights that Monroeville and Allegheny County police discovered after executing a search warrant for a separate case involving drugs. Williams was charged in December 2019 with distributing fentanyl and heroin and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

During the search warrant, police obtained a cell phone that Williams’ identified as his own. The phone showed footage from three dog fights that police said took place in Williams’ basement.

There was a fight Jan. 15, 2019 and two others on Jan. 27, police said.

One dog, named China, fought in two of the three fights involving five other pit bulls. Each fight was between two dogs. Police described the fights as violent and aggressive and said some of the dogs had cuts on their faces and bodies. Police also said blood stains on the concrete floor of the basement were later determined to belong to dogs.

Monroeville Animal Control seized the six pit bull dogs. China was eventually euthanized, because “she was overly aggressive and tried to attack other dogs in the kennel and attempted to climb the fence and walls of the kennel to get to the other dogs,” police said.

Police said up to eight people watched the fights in the basement and some used “bite sticks,” which police said are commonly used in dog fighting to separate the dogs. Williams is one of two people charged for the dog fights.

Ricki Knight, 21, of West Mifflin also was charged. Police said she is Williams’ sister and is listed as a co-defendent in Williams’ case. According to court records, she faces eight counts each of animal fighting and cruelty to animals. She has yet to be arrested.

Williams faces six counts of animal fighting, two counts of owning or possession or selling an animal for animal fighting, three counts of encouraging and aiding in animal fighting, three counts of paying admission to attend animal fighting, 12 counts of cruelty to animals, a charge of knowingly permitting animal fighting and one charge of having animal fighting paraphernalia.

Those charges were filed July 27 – for both Williams and Knight. Williams was arrested Jan. 10.

Art Ettinger is listed as Williams’ public defender. He declined to comment on the case.

Bail was set at $25,000 for Williams. He remains jailed at Allegheny County Jail.

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