Police seize 27 pit bulls in Round Lake Beach

A Round Lake Beach man remained jailed Friday on charges of dog fighting and aggravated cruelty in connection with the seizure of 27 pit bulls at his home.

Moises Colon, 33, and Estella Gonzalez, 24, both of 1624 Poplar Ave., also were charged with cruel treatment. Colon was held on $75,000 bond. Gonzalez posted bail on her $20,000 bond and was released.

Police using a search warrant Thursday found the dogs, which appeared to be malnourished, injured and kenneled in their own feces in the garage.

The remains of a dead dog were dug up in the back yard, and inside the house, police said, they found a manual for dog fighting, pictures of dog fighting and numerous drugs used for the breeding of animals. Also in the back yard, police said they found a wooden board suspended from a tree with bite marks.

The Lake County Health Department took custody of the dogs, which were still being held Friday night at the animal control facility in Mundelein. The male and female dogs were a range of ages, according to Tiffany Bronk, health department spokeswoman.

"There are seven puppies. Five of them are very young - they're still nursing with their mom," she said. "The vet checked them out. There were no critical major health concerns with any of the dogs."

They will continue to be held until a "status of forfeiture hearing" on Thursday, Sept. 25. If they're seized, they will be evaluated on an individual basis to determine the disposition of the dogs.

"A lot of these dogs might be able to be pets. We caught it early enough," said Round Lake Beach Police Deputy Chief Rich Chiarello. "We're not under the opinion that the fighting was actually occurring there. We think it's where they were housed and trained."

A preliminary hearing for Colon and Gonzalez is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 6.