The compassion a Marietta police officer felt for an injured pit bull led to a drug bust Saturday morning.

According to a public information release from Officer Chuck McPhilamy, Marietta Officer Conklin was dispatched on a call regarding a wandering pit bull Saturday morning.

The public information release described what happened as follows:

After a quick search, the officer located the dog, and immediately noticed it had fresh wounds around his face, mouth and ears.  Officer Conklin approached the dog, later identified as “Kilo” and noted that it was calm and friendly.  He placed Kilo inside his patrol vehicle and took time to check with a local veterinary clinic as well as researching information on the dog’s collar in order to locate the owners address.  When officer Conklin arrived at Kilo’s home, he noticed multiple dog crates in the backyard (visible from the street) and empty rifle boxes near the front door.  When he attempted to speak with someone inside the home, two different men eventually came outside.  Both men were inconsistent in their answers and neither could explain the injuries to Kilo, nor who the actual owner was.  They did state five additional dogs were still inside the home but would not confirm if anyone else was inside. 

Officer Conklin contacted Cobb County Animal Services for help, concerned that the other dogs inside may also have injuries.  He then met with Cobb County Magistrate Court and secured a search warrant for the home, suspecting possible dog fighting as well as drug trafficking operations based on statements the two suspects made to him.    

Once the search warrant was obtained, Cobb County Animal Services officers assisted in removing five animals from inside the residence.  Preliminary indications were that Kilo had been involved in dog fighting previously, but it was unknown how the fresh wounds occurred.  The other animals (uninjured) were taken until their owners could be located and an investigation completed. 

Inside the home, officers located methamphetamine, alprazolam, MDMA, LSD, (3) airsoft rifles, a Freedom Ordnance 9mm rifle and a Palmetto AR-15 .223 Rifle. 

A forty-three-year-old Marietta man “was arrested and taken to Cobb County Adult Detention Center facing the following charges: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of MDMA, possession of Alprazolam, and possession of LSD. The investigation into the injuries to Kilo has been turned over to Cobb County Animal Services.”