Case Details

Cockfighting - over 400 birds seized
Rockford, IL (US)

Date: Jul 14, 2005
County: Winnebago
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted

Abuser/Suspect: Gregory Konitski

Case Updates: 4 update(s) available

Case ID: 5028
Classification: Fighting
Animal: chicken
View more cases in IL (US)
« Back to Search Results
Login to Watch this Case

On July 14, Winnebago County Sheriff's deputies discovered hundreds of birds being used for illegal cockfighting. Now Winnebago County Animal Services is now leading this animal brutality investigation.

It's one of the biggest cock fighting rings the State of Illinois and possibly the Midwest has seen in years.

Right now the property is being secured 24 hours a day seven days a week until animal services has found everything they need. On July 15, the Winnebago County State's Attorney Office filed more charges against 40-year-old Gregory Konitski. He was already charged with domestic battery. Now seven more charges have been filed. Two are drug related to cannabis plants found at his home. The other five counts are for violating the Humane Care for Animals Act. More charges could be forthcoming.

Longanecker says, �I met with the State's Attorney and we are proceeding with the legal things that need to be done to determine the disposal or what we're going to do with all the chickens."

Longanecker says his staff has volunteered to take care of the more than 400 chickens that were found on the property. About 180 of those are chicks, the offspring of the fighting cocks. Longanecker says that's how it's going to have to be until the investigation is over and he could possibly reach out to the public for help.

Konitski's bond has been set at $100,000 dollars.

Add this case to:   Del.icio.us | Digg | Furl Furl |

Case Updates

A Rockford man pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge Thursday for hosting cockfights at his Montague Road home.

Gregory Konitski faces up to a year in jail, a $2,500 fine or probation after his guilty plea in front of Judge J. Edward Prochaska. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped a domestic battery charge, two drug charges and several other charges relating to the inhumane care of animals.

�There were proof problems with the charges,� said Winnebago County Assistant State�s Attorney Gregory Minger, speaking of the drug and domestic battery counts.

He added that the dropped animal cruelty charges were misdemeanors that carried the same penalty as the plea Konitski accepted.

Konitski, 41, was arrested last July after Winnebago County sheriff�s deputies were dispatched to his home in the 6200 block of Montague Road on a domestic disturbance call.

There, they discovered an estimated 300 to 400 roosters and hens, a makeshift arena as well as the kinds of razor blades and spurs used in cockfighting.

Authorities believe that Konitski hosted rooster fights about once or twice a month in a barn on the property. People would place wagers on the fights, which would often end in the death of one of the gamecocks.

Winnebago County Animal Services took the birds when Konitski was arrested. They were returned to him when he made his bail.

Now, the birds � Konitski estimated he had about 200 roosters and any number of hens and chicks on his property � have to be put up for adoption, sold or euthanized before his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 7.

Konitski�s attorney, Randy Wilt, said that attorneys have spoken privately about a possible maximum punishment as part of the plea deal, but he did not say what it was publicly because part of it is dependent on whether Konitski rids himself of the birds.

�I guess it�s good, seeing as this thing was a fabricated story because of an argument with my ex-girlfriend,� Konitski said as he left the courtroom Thursday.

�I can�t sell (the roosters) though, so I�ll have to figure out what to do.�
Source: Rockford Register Star - Julky 7, 2006
Update posted on Jul 7, 2006 - 9:31AM 
Konitski is due back in court Sept. 29.

According to an affidavit filed last week, Konitski hosted rooster fights once or twice a month in a barn next to his house in the 6200 block of Montague Road.

David Mace, an investigator with the Winnebago County state's attorney's office, states in the affidavit that he learned about the fighting from Konitski's girlfriend, who called police in the early morning hours of July 14 to assist her in removing belongings from Konitski's home.

Also in the affidavit, Mace describes how police found boxes and cases filled with "rooster knives," blades that are hooked to roosters' legs during fight-to-the-death competitions, a couple dozen rifles and several handguns throughout the home.

Authorities believe Konitski's underground rooster fighting operation was one of the largest ever broken up in Illinois.

Konitski faces $125,000 in fines for the drug charges, if convicted.

He faces an additional $12,500 in fines on the animal charges.

Konitski pleaded not guilty to charges of inhumane care for animals Thursday. He is out of jail on $10,000 bail. Circuit Judge Ron Pirrello gave Konitski permission to keep and care for his birds while his case is pending, but placed Konitski under strict orders not to move or harm them, sell them or give them away.

Winnebago County Animal Services Director Gary Longanecker said he and Mace check on the property from time to time to make sure the roosters and hens are safe.
Source: Rockford Register Star - August 23, 2005
Update posted on Aug 23, 2005 - 11:39AM 
A Rockford man accused of running an illegal cockfighting operation out of his Montague Road home is out of jail on bond and taking care of the 300 to 400 roosters and hens officials placed under 24-hour watch last week.

Greg Konitski, 40, paid $10,000 bail Friday and appeared in court Monday to fight the county's plan to kill the birds.

Circuit Judge Ron Pirrello gave Konitski permission to keep his birds while his case is pending, but placed Konitski under strict orders not to move the birds, kill or harm them, sell them or give them away.

Winnebago County Assistant State's Attorney Stacy Forsythe said Konitski "expressed a great amount of care" for the birds.

"He did seem like they were very important to him," Forsythe said. She called the bird-sitting arrangement a compromise, and said she feels comfortable with it because Konitski knows that he could be held in contempt of court if anything happens to the birds.

The Winnebago County Health Department condemned Konitski's home last week.

Konitski is not allowed to live in the house, which is in the 6200 block of Montague Road, but he is allowed to go to the property to care for his birds and do repairs on the house in an attempt to bring it up to code.

A woman answering the phone at Konitski's parents' home in Machesney Park declined to comment.

Konitski is due back in court Aug. 18. He faces charges of domestic battery, drug possession and violating the humane care for animals act.

Investigators believe Konitski ran an illegal breeding and cockfighting operation in which birds would be trained to fight against one another with razor blades attached to their feet. The birds would fight to the death, and Konitski and other bird owners would bet on the fights, officials said.

Winnebago County Animal Services employees spent several hours a day last weekend caring for and photographing Konitski's birds. Forsythe said the burden on the county to keep the birds alive was too much, which is why she petitioned for them to be euthanized.

Animal Services Director Gary Longanecker said the cost to feed, water and protect the birds over the weekend was about $3,500 to $4,000.

Konitski faces $125,000 in fines for the drug charges, if convicted.

The animals act charges are misdemeanors. If found guilty, he could face an additional $12,500 in fines.
Source: Rockford Register Star - July 22, 2005
Update posted on Jul 25, 2005 - 12:26AM 
A 40-year-old Rockford man faces charges of drug possession and violating the humane care for animals act for owning and operating an illegal cockfighting operation on his Montague Road property.

The Winnebago County state's attorney's office charged Gregory Konitski with the additional counts Friday. Konitski was arrested in a domestic battery case Thursday after police stumbled upon 300-400 fighting roosters and hens on his property while helping an ex-girlfriend retrieve her personal belongings.

Investigators believe Konitski ran an illegal breeding and cockfighting operation in which birds would be trained to fight against one another with razor blades attached to their feet. The birds would fight to the death, and the owners would bet on the fights, officials said.

According to documents filed Friday, Konitski had more than 50 marijuana plants on his property. He also was charged with possessing less than 500 grams of cannabis.

Konitski faces $125,000 in fines for the drug charges, if convicted. The animals act charges are misdemeanors. If found guilty, he could face an additional $12,500 in fines.

Cockfighting, dating back some 6,000 years, is illegal in 48 states, including Illinois.

It's not clear how much money was handled in Konitski's underground cockfighting ring, but Winnebago County Animal Services Director Gary Longanecker said the sheer number of fighting birds at a single location indicates that the operation could be one of the largest in the state.

The roosters and hens are being kept at the home under 24-hour guard by the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department and Animal Services.
Source: Rockford Register Star - July 16, 2005
Update posted on Jul 16, 2005 - 2:56PM 

Neighborhood Map

For more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.

Back to Top

References

WIFR - July 15, 2005
WIFR - July 15, 2005
Rockford Register Star - July 18, 2005

« Back to Search Results



Send this page to a friend
© Copyright 2001-2006 Pet-Abuse.Com. All rights reserved. Site Map ¤ Disclaimer ¤ Privacy Policy