BOSTON – A Hanson man pleaded guilty today to possessing dogs at his Massachusetts home for participation in a dogfighting venture. According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 51-year-old John D. Murphy pleaded guilty to nine counts of possessing animals for use in an animal fighting venture, in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Feb. 27, 2025. Murphy was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024.