HOUSTON -- At the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Houston justice maybe swift, but public reaction has been even swifter.

“…Very positive reaction from the public. A lot of folks are calling and saying, ‘thank you,’” said Assistant Harris County D.A. Belinda Smith.

Smith is talking about reaction to the year-and-a-half long investigation into the seedy world of top tier dog fighting.

“... It is the Saturday night poker game for hard core criminals. This is their past time,” said a sergeant with the DP Criminal Intelligence Service.

The effort was called “Operation Dead Game.” The Texas Department of Public Safety and the USDA pulled off the sting, which is being called the largest undercover investigation of its kind in U.S. history. 

The feds say that as many as 85 felony dogfighting charges were filed across the state. Half of those charges were made in Harris County. The D.A.’s office says it will seek the maximum punishment.

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Several dogs were taken into custody Friday at raids across the Houston area.

“Up to two years in jail for those that were actually engaging dogs in dogfighting. For the spectators it’s up to a year in jail,” said Smith.

The first defendants in the case will begin making court appearances Tuesday morning.  Among the defendants is Donald Woods. He faces cocaine and marijuana charges, in addition to dogfighting. 

Authorities say that another suspect, Ronald Munerlyn, is no stranger to Harris County courts. Munerlyn was convicted of dogfighting one year ago.

“The jury in that case last year, in November of 2007, put him on two years probation. He was caught spectating at one of these dog fights,” said Smith.

Smith said the dogs were the true innocent victims. She said that nearly 200 canines were seized last week, 87 in Harris County.

“These are not pets.  These animals were bred and trained to fight.  They were staked to the ground 24, 7. They had no socialization, and the only time they got away from that environment was to go fight,” said Smith.

On Monday, a judge awarded custody of the dogs seized in Harris County to the county health department. 

The dogs are being kept at a secure location where each is being evaluated for possible adoption.  But in all likelihood, they will have to be euthanized.