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by ERIN PARROTT
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Agents with the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced earlier this month that two Chester County men were facing dozens of charges in connection with an alleged dogfighting conspiracy.
Deveko Lavar Kennedy, 35, was charged on Tuesday (January 13, 2026) with 17 counts of criminal conspiracy and four counts of animal fighting or baiting. On the same day, Moaderell Allen Woods, 45, was charged with three counts of criminal conspiracy, eight counts of animal fighting or baiting and nine counts of ill treatment of animals.
According to 20 probable cause affidavits accompanying the warrants for Kennedy’s arrest, he allegedly committed criminal conspiracy at his residence in Chester, S.C. after a SLED review of data recovered from his cellphone indicated he agreed with others to carry out animal fighting or baiting.
Multiple affidavits alleged that law enforcement later located a 16-foot-by-16-foot wooden fighting pit with visible blood across from Kennedy’s residence. These affidavits also cited text messages which showed him advising others he had allowed dogs to fight for “a few mins” before separating them.
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Woods – who had 19 probable cause affidavits accompanying the warrants for his arrest – allegedly received text messages describing injuries consistent with dog fighting after he entered into agreement with another party to accomplish this unlawful act.
Furthermore, an additional affidavit stated investigators executed a search warrant on Woods’ property, which revealed a pit bull-type dog found tethered by a heavy logging chain with visible scars consistent with dog fighting.
This case serves as yet another example of how common dogfighting rings have become in the Palmetto State – as evidenced by how often FITSNews and other media outlets report on them.
As we previously noted, SLED agents made two new arrests in October of 2025 in connection with a massive drug and dogfighting ring spanning across two rural counties, as well as a Lexington County man who was sentenced to federal prison for a dogfighting operation in November of 2025.
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Editorially, FITSNews has repeatedly condemned the “inhumane treatment of animals – be it dogfighting, bear-baying or cockfighting.” We have also repeatedly urged state lawmakers to support “severe punishments” for those who “participate in (animal fights), wager on their outcome or pay to attend them.”
The Chester County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) assisted in SLED’s latest investigation – and both Kennedy and Woods were booked into the Chester County detention center where they await prosecution by the S.C. Sixth Circuit solicitor’s office.
As with anyone accused of committing any crime, both men are considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system – or until such time as they may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to any of the charges filed against them.
Count on FITSNews for continued coverage of federal prosecutions and law-enforcement actions across South Carolina.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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