NEWARK -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Vineland man and a man from New Mexico for their alleged roles in an interstate dog ring, according to court documents.

Lyell Harris, of Vineland, was indicted on Wednesday on nine counts including conspiracy to sponsor and show a dog in an animal fight and possession of a dog for use in an animal fight, the documents said.

The claim named Robert Arellano, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a co-conspirator, who was indicted on one count of conspiracy to sell, buy, transport, deliver or receive dogs for animal fighting.

Nine people were charged -- including Lydell and four others from New Jersey -- in June.

An undercover operation using pit bull-type dogs helped uncover the ring, which officials said went as far back as October 2015 and spanned from New Jersey to New Mexico. 

Fighting dogs, or keeping them to train, sell, deliver, receive or transporting them for use in dog fights is a felony under the federal Animal Welfare Act.  

Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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