UPDATE, 5:02 p.m.: According to Trey Robinson, the agent of Isaiah Buggs, the former Steelers’ defensive lineman and current member of the Kansas City Chiefs has been the subject of police harassment in recent months in Tuscaloosa and has previously been arrested twice for allegedly refusing to close his hookah establishment in the city.
Statement from #Chiefs DL Isaiah Buggs’ agent, Trey Robinson, who says his client has been the subject of police harassment and arrested two times over his refusal to close his Tuscaloosa hookah joint. pic.twitter.com/jX1aolYQLy
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 29, 2024
“Isaiah vehemently denies the truthfulness of the allegations and charges asserted against him today,” Robinson said in the statement, published on Twitter by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. “Under no circumstance does Mr. Buggs condone the treatment of any animal. The dogs at issue did not belong to him and he was unaware that they remained at the property in question.
“Furthermore, we believe that the City of Tuscaloosa’s decision to file the charges today is part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and its Police Department to besmirch Mr. Buggs’ name and reputation as part of an on-going subversive campaign to force the close of his business Kings Hookah Lounge.”
Our original story is below.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs had two warrants issued for him for animal cruelty charges in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
According to reports from Patch.com’s Ryan Phillips and 247 Sports’ Mike Rodak, Buggs is accused of animal cruelty in Tuscaloosa, based on civil documents filed Wednesday in Tuscaloosa County District Court. Two misdemeanor warrants were issued for Buggs Wednesday.
Tuscaloosa police have obtained two misdemeanor warrants against ex-Alabama DL Isaiah Buggs for second-degree cruelty to dogs, according to court filing Wednesday. Buggs is accused of leaving two dogs locked on his property without food or water:https://t.co/XfacM7Do2n
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) May 29, 2024
Buggs, now a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, allegedly had two dogs locked on a property rented by him. According to the court filing from Tuscaloosa County assistant district attorney Thomas Marshall, animal control officers found the two dogs on March 28.
Officers took the dogs after finding them “severely malnourished, emaciated, neglected and the residence appearing to be abandoned,” Marshall wrote in his court filing, according to 247 Sports.
In the report from Patch.com, one dog was found on a porch with feces around him and no food or water, while another dog was locked in a cage in direct sunlight without any food or water.
A civil lawsuit says former Alabama defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs is likely to face criminal charges for animal cruelty in Tuscaloosa.
Buggs won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs earlier this year. https://t.co/N6qdEXIIhS
— Ryan Phillips (@JournoRyan) May 29, 2024
According to the report, on neighbor stated to police that the dogs had been locked up on the property for at least 10 days, and that the property appeared to be abandoned. Records showed that the home was rented by Buggs, but that the lease was broken on April 15 after Buggs allegedly owed $3,116.90 in back rent and moved out of the house on March 19.
One of the dogs was euthanized, while the other remains under the care of a local animal shelter.
Buggs, a sixth-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2019, is facing two misdemeanor warrants that were obtained for second-degree cruelty to dogs or cats after authorities tried to get in touch with him after March 28 but were unsuccessful.
The former Alabama defensive lineman signed with the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad on Jan. 4 ahead of the Chiefs’ run to the Super Bowl and then was signed to a Reserve/Futures deal on Feb. 14.
Prior to signing with the Chiefs, Buggs spent two seasons with the Detroit Lions, part of one season with the Las Vegas Raiders and three seasons with the Steelers.
In his career, Buggs has 89 tackles, 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and four pass deflections. He played in 29 games with the Steelers, starting seven of them, before being waived on Jan. 8, 2022.
