Cockfighting - 63 birds - Simi Valley, CA

Wednesday, Jan 6, 2010

County: Ventura

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Walter Mendez

A check forgery investigation inadvertently exposed a cockfighting operation in the backyard of a Patricia Avenue home on Wednesday, according to Simi Valley Police.

Detectives investigating the use of forged checks at local businesses served an early morning search warrant Jan. 6 at 1350 Patricia Avenue. Once inside, they arrested 39-year-old Linda Duvos on charges of burglary and forgery.

According to a police report, Duvos is suspected of purchasing food, an air compressor and a large couch using forged checks. Those items, with an estimated value of $2,000, were recovered during the search of the home.

Also during their search, officers discovered some weapons, including an illegally modified sawed-off shotgun, belonging to housemate James Ankrum, 37.

A loaded pistol was within reach of an 8-year-old child who was inside the home, police said. Ankrum was booked for the weapons possession and child endangerment.

But the officers’ biggest surprise came in the backyard. There, police said, they found evidence that the home was being used to breed, raise and train roosters for the purpose of cockfighting.

Detective Sgt. Robert Arabian said the officers were taken aback when they stumbled upon the cockfighting operation since they hadn’t received any complaints from surrounding neighbors.

“We weren’t anticipating anything chicken-related because we had no idea that was going on there,” Arabian said.

Simi Valley resident Walter Mendez, 53, was identified as owning the birds. He was arrested and released on his promise to appear in court at a later date since officers did not find any paraphernalia--such as the steel spurs that are attached to a rooster’s feet-- that would have made it a felony offense, Arabian said.

Ventura County Animal Control responded and seized 43 roosters. Arabian said there were also 20 to 30 hens on the property.

Although cockfighting isn’t a prevalent problem in Simi, Arabian said, he’s aware of one other location in the city where birds are being raised to fight.

References

• Simi Valley Acorn - Jan 8, 2010

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