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Cockfighting - 150 birds
Goodland, KS (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Nov 24, 2009
County: Sherman

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Alma Y. Soto
» Jesus Sotolara

Two people arrested Tuesday in connection with running a cockfighting operation in southern Sherman County are now tending to a flock of roosters.

In an investigation that began in May, Sherman County Sheriff's officers and other agencies assisted in the Tuesday raid of a farmstead 16 miles southeast of Goodland, on the Sherman-Wallace county line.

Arrested were Alma Y. Soto, 39, and Jesus Sotolara, 38, who live on the farmstead.

The couple's children were released to other family members, Sherman County Dep. Jason Showalter said. Their first appearance in Sherman County District Court has not been scheduled, he said.

Soto and Sotolara are expected to be charged for unlawfully training a game cock to fight and 24 counts of unlawful possession of cock fighting paraphernalia, Showalter said.

Approximately 150 alleged fighting roosters were impounded. Soto and Sotolara were released from the Sherman County Jail Friday, and are under a court order to feed and water the animals. Nothing else.

Sherman County deputies, with help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Humane Society, Kansas Department of Animal Health, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, the Douglas County Sheriff's Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and Wallace County deputies conducted two raids at the farmstead over the past two weeks.

Douglas County has had experience with cockfighting cases, Showalter said.

Authorities received information that cock fights were staged at the farm, but no evidence, Showalter said.

"They were raising and training. Right now, that's what we have evidence of," he said. No other charges are anticipated.

Soto and Sotolara were released Friday, and are tending to all but five of the roosters, who were taken into custody to use as evidence, "in case they all disappeared" on the farm, Sherman County Dep. Dave Warren said. "We really didn't have a place to store all of them."

Also seized were cockfighting implements, such as socket knives, slashers and sparring muffs. The operation has been an education for Showalter and other officers.

"I didn't know anything about it when I started last week. Now I feel like I'm a professional," Showalter said.

Handling the roosters were a challenge. Deputies wore welding gloves and coats to protect against the animals that are given hormones and steroids "to make them aggressive," Showalter said.

The roosters "have a mean look in their eyes. You knew what they were thinkin'," Warren said. "They clawed and pecked at you pretty good. They'd jump, try to get right after you."

The five roosters in custody are being kept in a secure sheriff's office building, and officers are feeding and watering them.

"They're not happy or friendly. They try to bite you when you're feeding them," Warren said.

References

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