A Las Vegas man who trains service dogs said he sold a Belgian Malinois named Zeus to comedian Katt Williams a day before Williams arrived in Portland and is accused of threatening a town car driver with the dog.

But Tony Burroughs of Paws for Partners K9 Boot Camp said Williams never paid the $12,000 for the dog.

"I feel like I've been scammed,'' Burroughs told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Monday.

Burroughs said Williams frequented The Boulevard Mall in Las Vegas where Burroughs has his business and spent about a half a day asking about Zeus, a 2 ½-year-old trained service dog, on Oct. 4.

Williams had someone else – a Georgia businessman -- provide Burroughs over the phone with his name and credit card number to pay for the dog that day.

When Burroughs first put the card information into his purchasing system, it was accepted but later the system requested a photo of the buyer's ID and card because of the large sum. When Burroughs called back and tried to get that information from the buyer, Justin Norton of Atlanta Customer Wrap in Georgia, he wouldn't provide it, Burroughs said.

"I didn't get a chance to contact Katt because he was arrested,'' Burroughs said.

Williams was arrested Oct. 6 in Portland, accused of assaulting a town car driver the night before after an argument over the dog at Portland International Airport.

Williams later pleaded not guilty to fourth-degree assault.

He also faces a civil lawsuit from the driver, Wali Kanani, who is seeking $76,000 for assault, battery and emotional distress, claiming Williams berated him, punched him in the face and set the dog on him when he refused to let the dog ride in the front passenger seat. Williams and the dog then chased Kanani, who ran back to the airport terminal, Kanani's suit contends.

Williams was in Portland to attend a live tour performance of Nick Cannon's "Wild 'N Out" improv comedy show.

Burroughs said he spotted the photo of Zeus that ran with a story in The Oregonian/OregonLive about Williams' arrest. A man who described himself as a friend of Williams had brought the dog to court for Williams' arraignment.

Burroughs said he recognized the blue leash and service dog vest on Zeus that he provided to Williams. While Zeus is a service dog, he's also trained to attack on command as a security dog, Burroughs said.

"If he had put him on the driver, his limb would have been crushed,'' Burroughs said.

Days after Williams' court appearance, Williams' manager brought the dog back to Burroughs' business, according to Burroughs. He identified himself to Burroughs by one name, Diamond.

The manager asked Burroughs to hold the dog until Williams could get it back. But without payment, Burroughs said he's not giving up Zeus again.

"This is how celebrities treat common people,'' he said.

Diamond, reached by phone Monday, said he didn't know anything about a dog and Williams.

Norton, whose Georgia-based business Atlantic Custom Wrap does vinyl wrapping of cars, sent a text message to Burroughs, writing that he was trying to figure out how to get Burroughs the money, but later wrote he didn't work for Williams. Norton could not be reached for immediate comment.

"Take it up with Katt & leave me alone,'' Norton reportedly wrote in a text message to Burroughs, which Burroughs provided to The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Williams was released from Multnomah County Detention Center on Oct. 9. He faces a fugitive warrant in an unrelated case in Georgia. Williams, who has homes in Georgia and California, also couldn't be immediately reached for further comment.

"I'm glad the dog's back,'' Burroughs said, "but you know, karma is something else.''

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian