Cockfighting - 600 birds, 2 fighting rings
Howell, NJ (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Sep 5, 2004
County: Monmouth
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Raphael Lirano-Martin
» Natal Santos
» Geronimo Tejada
The NJSPCA charged three men Sunday with possessing animals for the purposes of fighting after a raid uncovered between 600 and 1,000 birds and two cockfighting rings, SPCA officials said.
Police and animal welfare agents found the birds in coops that were spread out over 10 to 15 acres on a residential farm owned by David Karp, according to Stuart Rhodes, president of the New Jersey SPCA. An address was not immediately available for Karp.
In addition to the birds, agents found fighting paraphernalia such as hypodermic needles, steroids, cut kits and glue. Many of the birds were shaved, Rhodes said. Several pigs and goats were also found.
Arrested were 67-year-old Raphael Lirano-Martin, who was renting the property; Natal Santos, 39, of Lakehurst and Geronimo Tejada, 32, of Jersey City. Lirano-Martin was arrested for cockfighting at the same location in 1982, Rhodes said.
Information leading to the arrests was provided by a confidential informant and by a man whose car was stopped by township police Friday, according to Rhodes.
The man's car contained a fighting cock in a cage, Rhodes said, and the man told police he had bought it at the site of the subsequent raid.
It is a third-degree offense in New Jersey to fight animals, possess fighting animals or be a spectator at an animal fight. References« NJ State Animal Cruelty Map
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