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A couple arrested in connection with an alleged dogfighting ring were sentenced to probation Wednesday morning in Pima County Superior Court.

Juan Verdin pleaded guilty to one count of attempted dogfighting while his wife, Zenaida Verdin, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals.

The charge against Juan Verdin was designated a misdemeanor and he was sentenced to 18 months of probation. He is not allowed to own or possess any animals of any sort during that time.

Zenaida Verdin was sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation.

Juan Verdin was also sentenced on a child-abuse charge, which stems from images of prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts that had been downloaded onto his computer.

The images were found as authorities were searching his residence in connection with the dogfighting case. Juan Verdin said that his underage son downloaded the photos and admitted that he failed to supervise him.

That sentence was also for 18 months' probation and will run concurrent with the sentence for attempted dogfighting.

According to Arizona Daily Star archives, the Verdins were arrested at a property on West Indian Kitchen Road, west of Sahuarita, in February.

Deputies had begun investigating a possible dogfighting ring in March 2007 after officers in Chicago reported stopping a van carrying several fighting dogs and developed information leading to Tucson.

Pima County sheriff's deputies seized at least 150 dogs during raids, along with $10,000 in cash and more than 60 firearms.

The Verdins were indicted along with Mahlon Thatcher Patrick and Emily Elizabeth Dennis — both of whom were acquitted of dogfighting charges last week.