A Hacienda Heights resident was taken into custody on federal charges related to organizing dog fights and possessing firearms illegally. Raymond Nunez, 53, faces accusations of buying, delivering, and keeping animals for use in animal fighting ventures. He is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Nunez was arrested earlier today and is set to appear in United States District Court in Los Angeles this afternoon.
Court documents allege that from December 2025 to February 2026, Nunez bred, trained, and exhibited dogs for fighting at his home. The complaint also states that he had firearms despite a felony conviction from 1991 for unlawful taking of a vehicle.
Federal agents searched Nunez’s residence on Tuesday. They reportedly seized an AK-47 style assault rifle, a shotgun, ten other firearms found in a bedroom safe, an emaciated pit bull bleeding and chained outdoors, another pit bull with scars in a bloody cage area, multiple dog treadmills, weighing equipment for dogs, as well as medical items such as a skin stapler and syringes.
A complaint includes allegations but does not establish guilt. “Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.”
If convicted of the current charges, Nunez could face up to ten years in federal prison.
This investigation is part of the Dog Fighting and Animal Abuse Task Force formed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in 2025. The task force brings together federal, state, and local agencies.
The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are handling the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Dennis Mitchell from the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California leads prosecution efforts across seven counties serving over 19 million residents. The office focuses on federal criminal cases and civil matters involving government interests while supporting community outreach through victim assistance programs. It works closely with various law enforcement partners to promote public safety.
