Attorneys/Judges
| Defense(s): | Mandy Tovar | | Judge(s): | John Salazar |
CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #13297 Rating: 5.0 out of 5
Cockfighting - over 200 birds seized
Corralitos, CA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Mar 5, 2008
County: Santa Cruz
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Felipe Ramirez Lopez
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Authorities raided an illegal cockfighting operation Wednesday, seizing more than 200 roosters at a large property off Calabasas Road where several similar busts have occurred over the last 14 years.
Animal officers cited Felipe Ramirez Lopez for possession of cockfighting roosters, a misdemeanor charge that carries one year in jail and a 5,000 fine. Because this is a second offense for Lopez - he was issued a similar citation in 1994 - he could still face more serious felony charges. The investigation is ongoing.
Todd Stosuy, field manager for Santa Cruz County Animal Services, discovered evidence of cockfighting last week while he inspected the property on Oak Hollow Lane after receiving a report about a neglected cow. He obtained a search warrant before Wednesday's raid, which included seven officers, including a California Fish and Game warden who found an illegal animal trap and several bobcat skins.
The bloody sport, in which trained roosters wearing spurs or razors on their feet battle each other while spectators place bets, took place inside a plywood structure roughly the size of a two-car garage, Stosuy said. Roosters were kept in several other buildings on the property.
Lopez arrived while officers were searching the property and admitted to owning the roosters, Stosuy said.
Authorities seized more than 200 fighting roosters during a similar raid at the property in 2006.
"At that time, (Lopez) was in Mexico, and the person we believe was his girlfriend surrendered all the birds to avoid charges," Stosuy said.
The roosters were taken to two county animal shelters and most, not all, will be euthanized because they are too evil-tempered to be adopted as pets and too tough to eat.
"Unfortunately, all of them will probably be destroyed because of their aggressive nature, but we will work with chicken rescuers to see if some can be saved," said Stosuy.
Cockfighting is illegal in almost every state, and most states specifically prohibit anyone from being a spectator at a cockfight. Recently many states have increased the seriousness of a cockfighting charge from a misdemeanor to a felony, but not California. Penalties are stiffer in all of the bordering states, where a first offense is considered a felony.
"That makes California a bit of a magnet," said Eric Sakach, West Coast director for the Humane Society of the United States. "This ancient bloodsport should have died out a long time ago and the first laws in California against it were passed in the 1890s, but unfortunately California is still a misdemeanor state."
Sakach, a former undercover officer who has attended more than 100 cockfights, said that a recent spike in the number of busts can be attributed to better training.
"Law enforcement is starting to get up to speed on this - they see that cockfighting is tied to other crimes like gambling, conspiracy, narcotics and concealed weapons."
Sakach is leading a training session for law enforcement officers in Monterey later this month.
Case UpdatesAfter a two-day court trial, a Superior Court judge Wednesday found a Watsonville man guilty of possessing cockfighting birds at his Calabasas Road property.
Felipe Ramirez Lopez, 54, will be sentenced on the misdemeanor charge on Friday afternoon.
County Animal Services officers went to Lopez's ranch a year ago to investigate a report of mistreated cattle and found more than 250 roosters, some of them aggressive, according to Todd Stosuy, Animal Services field supervisor. The discovery prompted an investigation into the treatment and use of the fowl and Lopez was later arrested on suspicion of possessing cockfighting roosters, a misdemeanor.
During the trial, which was in front of Judge John Salazar rather than a jury, prosecutor Nicole Ellen Jones argued that Lopez was breeding fighting birds. She showed breeding logs, drugs commonly associated with cockfighting and at least one photo of a possible cockfight.
Defense attorney Mandy Tovar said her client is an animal lover who raised show-quality roosters.
"There is no proof that this is an active cockfighting practice," Tovar said, adding that no cockfighting weapons or paraphernalia from cockfighting contests were found at the ranch. "They came there unannounced and still they found nothing."
However, Salazar said he didn't believe there was a reasonable explanation as to why Lopez was breeding and training roosters, and therefore he found Lopez guilty of the charge.
Jones asked that Lopez serve 60 days in County Jail, be given a three-year suspended sentence and pay an undetermined amount of restitution and fines. She also requested he not be allowed to possess roosters at his ranch.
Most of the roosters found at the ranch a year ago remain on the property, according to Tovar. Previously, Animal Services officers said the roosters would be confiscated from the property and likely euthanized. Tovar said few had been euthanized.
"The birds involved in this case were very well-cared for," Tovar said outside of court.
Salazar has not settled on that recommended sentence, but Animal Services officers were given the OK to inspect the fowl Wednesday afternoon to determine if any of the birds were adoptable should the county take custody of them. | Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel - March 19, 2009
Update posted on Mar 19, 2009 - 8:56AM |
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