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Dr. Robbie Savant inspects the dogs on the scene of a suspected dog-fighting farm Wednesday in the Cranfield community. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

An inmate with the Adams County Sheriffs office encourages a dog to come out of its house before Dr. Robbie Savant gives the dog a checkup Wednesday at Tommie Queen’s property in the Cranfield community. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Dr. Robbie Savant inspects the dogs on the scene of a suspected dog-fighting farm Wednesday in the Cranfield community. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

Dr. Robbie Savant inspects the dogs on the scene of a suspected dog-fighting farm Wednesday in the Cranfield community. (Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

(Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

(Nicole Hester / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — Tommie Queen, owner of the property where nearly 60 emaciated and injured dogs were found Monday, turned himself in to authorities at approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Sheriff Travis Patten said late Wednesday that despite Queen’s ownership of the property and evidence he lived, Queen has denied any wrongdoing.

Queen, 31, is charged with one count of cruelty to animals and one count of receiving stolen property.

Queen was being held in the Adams County Jail without bond late Wednesday.

Queen faces up to six months in jail and up to a $2,500 fine for the aggravated animal cruelty charge. On the charge of receiving stolen property, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, based on the anticipated value of the stolen truck found on his property Monday night.

Patten called this the largest dog-fighting operation in the history of the county.

“The ASPCA told us it may be the largest rescue operation — not counting floods or natural disasters — in a single location in the U.S.,” he said. “This is larger than the Michael Vick case.”

In 2007, Vick, then an NFL quarterback, was arrested and charged with running a dog-fighting kennel. In that case 51 animals were seized.

The officers found a suspected dog-fighting ring at 29 1/2 Miracle Road Monday night after an anonymous tip pointed them toward the field.

Officers spent Tuesday on the two-acre field filled with dogs, many of which had sustained multiple untreated injuries. Many were left without food or access to water.

By late Wednesday nine of the nearly 60 animals found on the site had ben euthanized.

Six were put down when their injuries were determined to be too severe.

“Their injuries were so bad they could not recover,” he said. “Others had wounds that insects had laid eggs in and they were basically being eaten alive.

“It’s a disheartening situation. Even if you’re not an animal lover, seeing this will do something to you, it tugs at your heart strings.”

Three more dogs on the site got into a fight and sustained similar injuries Wednesday, Patten said.

Ten of the dogs and two puppies were housed at the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society, and Patten said representatives of the ASPCA are currently on their way from Missouri to take the dogs to out-of-state rescue centers.

The ASPCA is sending an 18-wheeler transport vehicle to relocate the dogs — both the ones remaining on the site as well as the ones the local humane shelter had accepted — and relocate them to Missouri until court proceedings were completed.

The transportation is expected to occur today.

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