RICHMOND, Va. -- Michael Vick is facing new dogfighting charges in Virginia.

The development could threaten to end Vick's football career.

If he's found guilty, Vick could be sentenced to 10 years in prison on the new charges.

The state sentence would be served separately from any time in federal prison.

A grand jury in Richmond Tuesday indicted the suspended Falcons quarterback and three co-defendants on two charges of dogfighting.

The panel refused to indict the men on eight counts of killing animals.

Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter presented the charges against Vick, Quanis Phillips, Tony Taylor and Pernell Peace to the grand jury.

Vick, his co-defendants and lawyers did not attend the closed proceeding. Vick and three co-defendants have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the case, and all are awaiting sentencing in federal court before the end of the year.

Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter asked that the four be arraigned Oct. 3 and requested that each be released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond. None of the defendants nor their lawyers were in court.

The charges are the first leveled against Vick in the county where he built a home on 15 acres that was the base of the dogfighting operation.

The grand jury -- made up of two black men, two black women and two white women -- met for more than three hours.

"These are serious charges, and we can assure you that this grand jury was not driven by racial prejudice, their affection or lack of affection for professional athletes, or the influence of animal rights activists and the attendant publicity," Sheriff Harold Brown and Poindexter said in a joint statement.

Poindexter said he was not disappointed that the grand jury passed on the animal cruelty charges.

"I'm just glad to get this to the position where it is now and one day in the not too distant future, we will be rid of these cases," he said.

Pressed on whether he presented evidence about Vick confessing to the killings, Poindexter said "these are secret proceedings," adding he was sure it was put the grand jury. However, Poindexter said he didn't know what testimony was given, because he was not present when witnesses testified.

Vick, who faces up to five years in prison, also has been indefinitely suspended without pay by the NFL and been dropped by all his major sponsors, including Nike.

The local charges, and a conviction, could spell an end to any hope he has of resuming his NFL career after serving a likely federal prison term. An animal cruelty charge in Virginia is punishable by up to five years in prison, and he admitted in his written plea to helping kill six to eight pit bulls days before the first raid.

That alone could expose him to as many as 40 years in prison.