September 1, 2011

SHERIFF ARPAIO AND LAWMAN STEVEN SEAGAL INFURIATED BY CLAIMS LABELING THEM DOG KILLERS Seagal Considering a Counter Suit
(Phoenix, AZ) From Toronto, Canada to Sydney, Australia and from TMZ to MSNBC, an Arizona man and his attorney are falsely claiming that actor and deputy sheriff Steven Seagal, under the authority of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, killed an 11 month old puppy by shooting it in the head during a raid on a cockfighting suspects west valley Phoenix area home in March of this year. The allegation, which is completely without merit, has been the subject of innumerable media stories over the last few days. Officials from the A&E network have been inundated with calls for comment and Seagal himself has received harassing comments and calls from associates who have been led to believe by published media reports that the actor was somehow responsible for the death of this dog. The Sheriff and Seagal, along with numerous deputies and posse volunteers who were present at the March 9th raid at 6642 West Ellis Drive in Laveen, AZ say no dog was even injured, much less killed, during the operation. In fact, no firearm was discharged during the course of this operation. According to witnesses at the raid, a dog was present on Jesus Lloveras property when deputies and SWAT team members, of whom Seagal was one, entered the premises with a search warrant to arrest Llovera on cockfighting charges and seize all evidence pertaining to the crime.

100 West Washington, Suite 1900, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 Phone: (602) 876-1801 Fax: (602) 258-2081
Media Contact: MediaRequest@MCSO.Maricopa.Gov
1

Llovera was known to Sheriffs deputies and Phoenix Police to have potential ties to a Mexican drug cartel. He had been previously arrested on cockfighting charges. Sheriffs deputies were also warned that it was possible other drug cartel members might be present at Lloveras home so extra precautions in the deployment of personnel and equipment were taken to safeguard the operation. If my deputies, or posseman Seagal for that matter, had done something so awful like shooting a family dog, says Sheriff Arpaio, then where are the photos to prove it? Where is there any evidence by Llovera to prove this accusation and why are we only now hearing about it five months later? His claim letter is misleading and so is his attorney. Seagal goes further than Arpaio stating that he has contacted his attorney, Marty Singer. Seagal says at the very least they are considering a defamation suit against both Llovera and Phoenix attorney Robert Campos. Seagal, a known animal activist and a former PETA award recipient, is outraged by the lies and the media attention they are getting. Ive been called a lot of things in my career, some of them not so kind. But to be labeled an animal abuser is beyond the pale and that is simply a role I will not accept, says Seagal. Both Arpaio and Seagal contend that Llovera and Campos are fabricating the puppy killing as a way to gain attention to their lawsuit and to escalate the potential settlement amount. Llovera wants money and his attorney wants notoriety, Seagal says. Just look at Campos website and the first thing you see is his 15 minutes of fame on Inside Edition talking about this. END

100 West Washington, Suite 1900, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 Phone: (602) 876-1801 Fax: (602) 258-2081
Media Contact: MediaRequest@MCSO.Maricopa.Gov
2