Franklin, NY Man Finally Sentenced In Animal Cruelty Dogfighting Ring Case

It was an animal cruelty case that gained considerable attention almost two years ago in Central New York when a former town of Franklin man was arrested on animal abuse charges and running a dogfighting ring.

The arrest of Nasir Azmat at a residence on County Highway 21 in the Town of Franklin by the Delaware County Sheriff deputies took place on February 5, 2020, as police discovered 20 dogs confined and in deplorable conditions without proper food, water, or care. An investigation revealed that the dogs were involved in a dogfighting ring that Azmat was operating off-site.

It was an arrest that stemmed from a tip that came into the Delaware Valley Humane Society in Sidney, NY. The shelter became involved in rescuing the dogs in the case, along with help from the Susquehanna SPCA, the Broome County Humane Society, and veterinarians associated with those shelters. In an interview, Erin Insinga, Executive Director of the Delaware Valley Humane Society told me that it was the worst case of animal abuse she's ever seen in her many years at the shelter.

Azmat faced a total of forty-one counts of violating New York State’s animal fighting and animal cruelty laws. After almost two years, Azmat has finally been sentenced in the case and according to www.pressconnects.com, after taking a plea deal on the charges, he has been sentenced to spending 60 days in jail with 3 years of probation following his jail time.