Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | Richard Gilliland |
Cockfighting - 10 birds seized
Outlook, WA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Jul 23, 2009
County: Yakima
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Jerry Mario Almaguer
» Sylvester Almaguer
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Two relatives of a 16-year-old boy charged with shooting a Yakima County sheriff's deputy face drug charges after invest-igators served a search warrant at the boy's Outlook home.
Investigators searched the Second Avenue home of Jacob Almaguer, the suspect in the deputy shooting, on Friday morning. A police report filed in Yakima County Superior Court said the two men were arrested after officer-safety searches found drugs on them.
Jerry Almaguer, the 46-year-old father of Jacob, was to be charged Wednesday afternoon with possession of heroin with intent to deliver and possession of cocaine, according to the county prosecutor's office.
Sylvester Almaguer Jr., 30, was to be charged with possession of heroin and/or methamphetamine. He is Jerry Almaguer's nephew.
The search warrant was requested by agents with the state Gambling Commission.
According to the warrant, the commission's special agents read a July 23 article in the Yakima Herald-Republic about the deputy shooting in which Jerry Almaguer said his son was raising and selling fighting roosters. Sunnyside detectives also told commission agents that they had seen roosters on the property, according to the warrant.
Raising the birds and watching them fight are both felonies in Washington. Those investigations sometimes involve the Gambling Commission because spectators bet on the matches.Commission spokeswoman Susan Arland said investigators expect to send their reports to the Yakima County prosecutor's office for consideration of charges.
Three birds on the Almaguer property that appeared to have been prepared for cockfighting were euthanized by a veterinarian, authorities said.
Jacob Almaguer, the teenage suspect in the deputy shooting, remains in custody on suspicion of attempted murder. His next court hearing is set for Aug. 20.
The prosecutor's office has filed two counts of attempted murder, alleging that Almaguer opened fire July 20 on two sheriff's deputies who were investigating an earlier shooting in the Outlook area. He is also charged with illegal possession of a firearm.
He is being charged as an adult based on his age and the seriousness of the charges, and faces a standard sentence between 41 and 51 years. if convicted. A judge could add to that sentence because the crime was alleged to be gang-related, county Prosecuting Attorney Jim Hagarty said.
Meanwhile, deputies Bobby Miranda and Chris Stearley have been cleared to return to work.
Under-sheriff Dan Garcia said Miranda was back on duty Monday, Stearley on Friday.
Case UpdatesAn Outlook man was sentenced Friday to a year behind bars after pleading guilty to cockfighting.
Jerry Almaguer, 47, pleaded guilty in Yakima County Superior Court to a single count of animal fighting. He was sentenced to 18 months on drug possession charges, meaning he will serve both terms at a state prison.
His brother, Sylvester Almaguer, was sentenced in August to two months in jail for the animal fighting charge.
The bird operation and Jerry Almaguer's drugs were discovered while investigators were searching for the person who shot at two sheriff's deputies in the Outlook area in July 2009.
Jerry Almaguer's teenage son, Jacob, faces trial next year on two counts of attempted first-degree murder.
The shooting, which authorities say was an effort by Jacob Almaguer to gain gang status, wounded Deputy Bobby Miranda in the right leg and missed Deputy Chris Stearley. The deputies returned to work the next month.
After his son's arrest, Jerry Almaguer told the Herald-Republic that his son raised roosters for cockfighting. Sylvester Almaguer is the boy's uncle.
Authorities say the pair's roosters and fighting gear were discovered when state gambling investigators searched the home.
The family has maintained that Jacob Almaguer is not responsible for the shooting. | Source: yakima-herald.com - Nov 5, 2010
Update posted on Nov 6, 2010 - 10:37AM |
Two relatives of an Outlook teenager accused of shooting at Yakima County sheriff's deputies face cockfighting charges.
Authorities say the pair's roosters and fighting gear were discovered when state gambling investigators searched the teenager's home after the July shooting, which wounded Deputy Bobby Miranda and missed Deputy Chris Stearley.
The felony animal-fighting charge was filed last week in Yakima County Superior Court against Jerry Almaguer, 46, and his brother, Sylvester Almaguer, 56.
Jerry Almaguer is the father of Jacob Almaguer, the 16-year-old accused of shooting at the deputies. Investigators said witnesses reported that Jacob Almaguer made statements about wanting to gain gang status "by flaming these two pigs."
His parents have said he was at their Outlook home when the shooting happened. He awaits trial on two counts of attempted murder.
Warrants for the two men's arrest remained active as of Tuesday, according to the Yakima County Sheriff's Office.
The state Gambling Commission often handles cockfighting investigations.
According to a commission special agent's report, the August search found 10 roosters in a pen on the property. Three of them had modifications common to fighting birds, including removal of their combs and wattles, the special agent wrote. If not trimmed, heavy bleeding from those areas can lead to death during a fight. The birds' spurs were also removed, another change to more easily attach blades for fights.
The three modified birds were euthanized on scene, gambling authorities said earlier.
The search also uncovered a bag with spur blades and other fighting gear, according to the report.
After his son's arrest, Jerry Almaguer told the Yakima Herald-Republic that his son raised the roosters for cockfighting.
Investigators received information that all three were involved, according to the special agent's report.
Prosecuting Attorney Jim Hagarty said his office had considered charging Jacob Almaguer in connection with the cockfighting, but chose for now to focus on the shooting case.
Both deputies returned to duty soon after the incident. | Source: yakima-herald.com - Dec 29, 2009
Update posted on Nov 6, 2010 - 10:36AM |
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