Federal prosecutors are preparing to try Carlton Lenard Adams—a 51-year-old Alabama man charged with dogfighting, firearms violations, and courtroom disruption fueled by sovereign citizen ideology. The trial is set to begin on April 21, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
Adams, a resident of Bessemer and Adger, Alabama, was arrested after federal agents executed search warrants at three of his properties in March 2024. They discovered a gruesome and highly organized dogfighting operation. According to the indictment and press materials released by the Department of Justice, agents rescued 78 dogs believed to have been bred and trained for fighting. Among the disturbing evidence found on-site were modified treadmills used to condition dogs, injectable steroids, skin staplers, suture materials, and a homemade “breeding stand” designed to restrain aggressive female dogs during forced mating. The government also recovered break sticks—tools used to pry open a dog’s jaw when it locks down during a fight.
Even more alarming was the arsenal Adams had amassed, despite his status as a convicted felon. Agents discovered two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun known as a “Street Sweeper,” a weapon classified under federal law as a “destructive device.” Possession of such a weapon by a felon is a serious offense, and each firearms count carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each dogfighting count carries up to five years and an equal fine.
After his indictment, Adams invoked sovereign citizen language and tactics, challenging the court’s jurisdiction and refusing to engage meaningfully with appointed attorneys. In one filing, he declared, “I reserve all of my rights per UCC 1-308 and I do not consent,” referencing a widely misunderstood commercial law provision that sovereign citizen adherents falsely believe exempts them from government authority. He also submitted a so-called “Affidavit of Truth” and repeated the phrase “Notice to Principals is Notice to Agents,” another favorite among sovereign citizens who claim these incantations can nullify judicial proceedings.
These antics caused severe delays. Adams repeatedly flip-flopped on whether he would represent himself, refused to answer basic procedural questions, and cycled through multiple attorneys. Despite a year of rescheduling and disruptions, the court appointed new counsel and set a firm trial date for April 21, 2025.
Now, in a last-minute maneuver just 11 days before trial, Adams has requested a continuance so that his expert witness—a veterinarian—can review evidence. The government has opposed this request, arguing that the witness had ample time to prepare, and that much of her proposed testimony about dog breeding and hoarding is irrelevant or inadmissible. Prosecutors also noted that their own expert disclosures, along with the evidence and photos of the seized dogs, were provided months in advance, giving defense experts a clear foundation for trial preparation.
The case underscores not only the brutality of organized animal fighting but the ways in which fringe sovereign ideologies can obstruct justice. Prosecutors have called Adams’s legal filings “frivolous” and “disruptive,” echoing a broader pattern seen in cases involving sovereign citizens across the country. While Adams remains presumed innocent, the evidence presented thus far paints a grim picture of a defendant who operated a large-scale dogfighting ring while attempting to shield himself from accountability through pseudo-legal resistance.
If convicted, Adams could face decades in federal prison. His trial will serve as a test not only of the evidence but of the system’s ability to withstand legal obfuscation masked as ideology.
Reference: United States v. Adams, No. 2:24-cr-00122-RDP-NAD (N.D. Ala.)