Attorneys/Judges
| Defense(s): | Antonio Salazar | | Judge(s): | T.W. Small |
CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #14094 Rating: 1.0 out of 5
Cockfighting
Wenatchee, WA (US)Incident Date: Monday, Jul 7, 2008
County: Chelan
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Arturo Morales Zavala
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Wenatchee man suspected of throwing dead roosters into his neighbor's yard is facing felony animal cruelty charges for cockfighting.
Police searched the man's property in late April after his neighbor complained that he was throwing garbage into a corner of the backyard of his property on Boodry Street. The garbage pile included a number of dead roosters, some reduced to skeletons, according to the report of Chelan County Sheriff's Office Cpl. Sandy Larsen.
In the suspect's trailer and in coops on his property, deputies and Wenatchee Valley Humane Society officers reported finding medication and testosterone commonly given to fighting roosters, hypodermic needles and clippers commonly used to trim the combs and wattles of fighting roosters, as well as 19 live roosters, eight hens and 14 eggs. Also found were spur sheaths - paraphernalia for weapons that are attached to fighting birds. The dead birds found in the neighbor's yard were outfitted for fighting, with trimmed combs and taped legs, the deputy reported.
Chelan County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Douglas Shae charged the suspect, 38-year-old Arturo Morales Zavala, with four counts of first-degree animal cruelty July 7. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
In March, federal and local officials arrested more than 50 people involved with cockfighting in Oregon and Washington. Matches were held in Wapato, Prosser and Sunnyside, according to charging documents. The Wenatchee case was not part of the crackdown.
There is no evidence that fights happened at the Boodry Street property. The birds found there were euthanized.
The Associated Press and Yakima Herald-Republic contributed to this report.
Case UpdatesA Wenatchee man suspected by the Humane Society of raising roosters for cockfighting was convicted of two counts of second-degree animal cruelty in Chelan County Superior Court on Monday.
Judge T.W. "Chip" Small, honoring a plea deal between the defense and the county prosecutor, sentenced 39-year-old Arturo Morales Zavala to 90 days in jail with 88 days suspended. Small is allowing Morales to perform 16 hours of community service at the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society in lieu of serving the jail time.
Prosecutors charged Morales in July with four counts of first-degree animal cruelty following a Humane Society investigation. Animal control officer Cpl. Sandra Larsen found at his Boodry Street property medications and hormones commonly given to fighting roosters, several videotapes of cockfights, clippers used to cut combs and wattles, spur sheaths and 19 roosters and eight hens.
The inquiry began when a neighbor complained to police in April 2007 that Morales had dumped dead roosters and other garbage over a fence into the neighbor’s backyard. Some of the dead birds’ wattles and combs had been clipped and their legs had been taped as is done on fighting roosters, Larsen wrote in a report filed in court.
In a request for dismissal of the case in September, Morales’ attorney, Antonio Salazar, argued that no evidence existed to support charges of first-degree animal cruelty, a felony, because the birds Morales possessed were healthy. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Doug Shae countered by amending the charges to four counts of felony animal fighting. Morales ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree animal cruelty, a misdemeanor.
State law says a person is guilty of second-degree animal cruelty if he or she "knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence inflicts unnecessary suffering or pain upon an animal (by failing) to provide the animal with necessary shelter, rest, sanitation, space or medical attention and the animal suffers unnecessary or unjustifiable physical pain as a result of the failure."
The Humane Society euthanized the 27 birds seized in July. Small ordered that Morales cannot keep fowl on his property for two years. | Source: Wenatchee World Herald - Jan 29, 2009
Update posted on Feb 16, 2009 - 12:58PM |
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