Antwon Sockwell, Keith Packer and Tierra Love Indicted for Shooting of Dog and Extortion Scheme

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

WASHINGTON – Antwon Sockwell, 36, a resident of Washington, D.C., Keith Packer, 35, a resident of Suitland, Maryland, and Tierra Love, 38, a resident of Suitland, Maryland, were charged in a five-count indictment on September 18th that was unsealed today in federal court in Washington, D.C. The indictment includes charges for animal cruelty, conspiracy, interstate communications with the intent to extort, interstate stalking, and the use or carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

            “These defendants terrorized the victim, and took hostage and executed his innocent dog as part of a calculated scheme to extort him,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “They conspired to intimidate and coerce the victim over a dispute involving a vehicle, and their actions culminated in the horrific execution of a defenseless Husky. Animal cruelty and violent extortion are serious federal crimes, and my office will pursue accountability to the fullest extent of the law.” 

            The indictment alleges that Sockwell, Packer, and Love engaged in a conspiracy to coerce the victim to turn over a vehicle to Love and Packer by threatening the victim and his dog. As part of the conspiracy, it is alleged that Packer and Love stole the victim’s pet Siberian Husky before the dog was driven from Maryland and shot and killed in an alley in Southeast Washington, D.C. 

            If convicted, Sockwell and Packer face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for the firearm charge to run consecutively with any other sentence, up to seven years in prison for animal crushing, and lesser penalties for the other offenses. If convicted, Love faces a maximum statutory sentence of seven years in prison for animal crushing and lesser penalties for the other offenses. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided for informational purposes.  The sentences will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  Joining in the announcement with U.S. Attorney Pirro was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            Law enforcement arrested Love earlier today in Virginia. She made her initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. Co-defendant Sockwell is currently detained pending trial. Co-Defendant Packer is currently in custody in Maryland on state charges. 

            According to the indictment, Packer and Love hatched the conspiracy on July 8, 2026, after a dispute arose between Love and the victim regarding Love’s use of a vehicle. Packer and Love allegedly made plans to harm the victim and his dog and invited Sockwell to join the scheme. Packer and Love allegedly stole the victim’s Siberian Husky from his residence on the morning of July 11, 2026, and brought it to Sockwell’s apartment building in Washington, D.C. Packer and Love also made threatening phone calls and text messages to the victim.  

            The indictment alleges that later that day, Packer drove Love and Sockwell to the victim’s residence in Maryland and engaged in an in-person confrontation between Packer, Love, Sockwell, and the victim.  The victim refused to give them access to the vehicle at issue because the dog had not been returned to him. The three co-conspirators then drove back to Washington, D.C. and Packer allegedly sent text messages to the victim stating “all dawgs [sic] go to” and “anything you wanna say last?” It is alleged that a few minutes later in an alley nearby, one of the co-conspirators shot the victim’s Siberian Husky in the head with a 9mm firearm, killing the dog.  On September 11, 2026, a 9mm firearm was recovered at Sockwell’s residence during the execution of a search warrant.   

            This case is being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the Humane Rescue Alliance and Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney M.E. Bultemeier.   

            An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.