Cockfighting - 150 birds seized
Wausau, WI (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
County: Marathon
Disposition: Alleged
Abuser names unreleased
Five people were charged this afternoon [May 29, 2008] in Marathon County Circuit Court with methamphetamine-related offenses in connection with a drug trafficking ring.
Police made 11 arrests at three Wausau area homes Wednesday morning following a nine-month investigation by local and state agencies. Police say at least 15 people will be charged in an investigation into a methamphetamine ring that also uncovered a cock-fighting operation.
Chiong Vang, 19, Marc J. Leininger, 22, Paula R. Boyd, 33, Doua Lor, 20, and Tong Vang, 31, all of Wausau made initial appearances. Marathon County Judge Patrick Brady ordered cash bonds of at least $10,000 for all except Leininger, who was given a $10,000 signature bond.
Pahoua Thao, 24, and Vang Vang, 22, are in the Marathon County Jail and are expected to be charged Friday, Marathon County Assistant District Attorney Lesli Pluster said this afternoon.
Four others who were arrested, Angus S. Buhse, 22, Chuehue Yang, 20, Ger Moua, 19, and Kade Daniel Kleinschmidt, 20, remain in the Marathon County Jail, but Pluster was not sure when they would be charged.
Seven ounces of methamphetamine were confiscated which had a street value of at least $26,000, Marathon County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Schneck said. Police also seized $11,000 worth of cash, more than $100,000 worth of property, vehicles and a gun.
Heather Marincel, a humane officer for the Marathon County Humane Society, said there were more than 150 roosters at one of the homes. At least five birds were euthanized and others had neck, and eye injuries – common signs of cock fighting, she said.
A house searched by police yesterday at 1519 Northwestern Ave. was built in 1999 as a Habitat for Humanity home.
Ark Rhowmine, president of the Wausau chapter of Habitat for Humanity, said the owner of the home attempted to sell the home a year ago after moving to Arkansas. Rhowmine and police are trying to contact the owner to determine his relationship with the people living there.
Rhowmine said he has contacted the organization's attorney and the home could be foreclosed upon.
"He is supposed to live there as part of the agreement," Rhowmine said. "He is not to rent it out and make money off of it." References
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