There has been no shortage of legal problems for current and former professional football stars in recent years, with domestic violence, firearms violations, and similar charges being among the most frequently lodged.

This week, a former NFL running back, LeShon Johnson, was indicted on 21 charges stemming from a dog fighting bust conducted by the FBI that resulted in the rescue of 190 pit bulls, as Fox News reports.

Largest bust on record

54-year-old Johnson, of Oklahoma, now faces 21 charges stemming from his alleged operation of a large-scale dog breeding and trafficking enterprise dubbed “Mal Kant Kennels,” and he also reportedly raised fighting dogs on a personal basis.

Notably, Johnson already has a troubling record when it comes to his treatment of dogs, having pleaded guilty to similar, albeit state-level, charges in 2004.

According to Fox News, Johnson was said to have been in the business of raising what he referred to as “champion” and “grand champion” pit bulls bred to fight and subsequently selling breeding right to the dogs.

Authorities indicated that Johnson's dogs had attained unusual success in the dog fighting world, considering that dogs regularly sustain deadly injuries during the fights in which they are entered.

According to federal law enforcement officials, the incident is likely the largest such seizure of fighting dogs from a single defendant in the country's history, underscoring the severity and scope of Johnson's alleged operation.

DOJ officials weigh in

In a press release detailing the charges now facing Johnson, Attorney General Pam Bondi was quoted as saying, “Animal abuse is cruel, depraved, and deserves severe punishment. The Department of Justice will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and will remain committed to protecting innocent animals from those who would do them harm.”

FBI Director Kash Patel offered his take as well, saying, “The FBI will not tolerate criminals that harm innocent animals for their twisted form of entertainment. The FBI views animal cruelty investigations as a precursor to larger, organized crime efforts, similar to trafficking and homicides. This is yet another push in the FBI's crackdown on violent offenders harming our most innocent.”

U.S. Attorney Christopher Wilson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma declared, “Dog fighting is a cruel, blood-thirsty venture, not a legitimate business or sporting activity. I applaud the investigative work of the FBI and the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division in detecting and dismantling breeding operations which only serve to propagate this deplorable conduct.”

The federal indictment represents another dark twist in the life of Johnson, whose six-year career in the NFL saw him play for the Packers, Giants, and Cardinals during the 1990s.

If convicted of unlawfully fighting dogs in a venture impacting interstate commerce and of possessing, training, transporting, delivering, selling, purchasing, or receiving dogs for fighting purposes, Johnson could face penalties of five years in prison as well as a $250,000 fine on each count charged.

Echoes of Vick

For many, the news of Johnson's indictment brings to mind memories of another NFL standout who became entangled in the cruel world of dog fighting, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

In 2007, Vick pleaded guilty to “conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venue,” and he was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison, a penalty animal welfare advocates believed was too lenient given the abject cruelty that was discovered at the Surry County, Virginia property where his “Bad Newz Kennels” operated. Unfortunately, Vick's experience and resulting infamy were insufficient deterrents to thwart Johnson's alleged acts.