Cockfighting - 52 birds seized
Des Moines, IA (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Feb 7, 2005
County: Polk

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Terry Gillum

Des Moines Police have arrested an Eastside man they think was raising chickens for cockfighting. 54-year-old Terry Gillum was taken into custody Monday (Feb 7, 2005) afternoon at his home on Southeast Vale Street. Earlier, animal control officers had recovered 52 chickens from his property, many had signs characteristics of birds that would be used for cockfights. Gillum had been arrested before at a cockfight in Ankeny in 1989. He said he paid the fine, did the community service, and left the illegal activity behind.

Police say all the chickens recovered from his home will likely have to be euthanized because they are too aggressive to be adopted.

Gillum has posted bond and is out of jail, but still faces a number of charges. The most serious, trainer of contest animals, is a 'class D' felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

References

• WHO-TV - Feb 7, 2005
• Des Moines Register - Feb 9, 2005

« More cases in Polk County, IA

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.