Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: 900 roosters found, believed to be gamecocks

900 roosters found, believed to be gamecocks
Nipomo, CA (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Jan 31, 2006
County: San Luis Obispo
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Carlos Martinez
» Jose Valencia
» Jesus Valencia

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 7430

Classification: Fighting

Animal: chicken

View more cases in CA (US)

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department uncovered what they think is a gamecock breeding center. With a warrant, sheriff's deputies searched a Nipomo farm, finding 900 vicious birds, some metal spurs, and three men who they arrested on suspicion of raising fighting cocks.

The men are Carlos Martinez, 29, of Lompoc, and two brothers, Jose and Jesus Valencia of Santa Maria.

"A lot of these birds are most likely bred and shipped to Mexico to be used in fights primarily, and I imagine there's a lot of money in that," says Brian Hascall of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department. The metal spurs that officials found on the farm, are commonly used in cock fights to make action more deadly. Deputies took just four birds away as evidence, leaving the rest, since the County's animal shelter would not be able to house the hundreds of other birds.

The Valencia brothers have been renting the 10-acre Nipomo farm since December 2004, and the owners have never complained of problems. The owners claim the rent payment is always on time, and their tenants have never caused trouble. Sheriff's officials are testing the birds for Avian Flu, and so far no cases have been reported. In California it is a misdemeanor for raising fighting birds, but get caught a second time, and that charge turns to a felony.

Case Updates

Sheriff's deputies continue to investigate a Nipomo ranch which they say is raising nearly 900 roosters for cockfighting. Deputies cited and released two other Santa Maria men on suspicion of raising the 800 to 900 animals to fight, officials said. Authorities say the men are raising the roosters to ship to Mexico to compete in cockfights there. Federal law prohibits the transport of animals for the purpose of competitive fighting, said Eric Sakach, director of the western branch of the Humane Society of the United States. The men have not been charged with that crime and authorities say they continue to investigate the extent of the operation.

Deputies arrested Santa Maria residents Jesus Valencia, 36, and Jose Valencia, 44; and Lompoc resident Carlos Martinez, 26. Santa Maria residents Jose Rico, 22, and Carlos Rodriguez, 37, were cited and released.
Vincente Soto, who leases acres of his ranch to the arrested men to raise the animals, said the men were sending the roosters to Mexico but that there was no cockfighting on his property. �Just because someone has a pistol, doesn't mean they are going to shoot it,� Soto said. Soto said officials originally came looking for drugs at the ranch, 600 block Joshua Road, but turned to the current charges when they couldn't find any. Officials say part of the continuing investigation is to determine whether Soto is involved in any wrongdoing. Deputies originally came to the house in response to suspicious circumstances and possible shots fired at an adjoining property Feb. 7, 2006. They returned and served search warrants. Deputies say there's no doubt what the roosters were being used for, said Sgt. Brian Hascall, sheriff's department spokesman. The roosters' legs were mutilated to accommodate metal spurs and the animals' distinctive red combs were trimmed off, as is customary in cockfighting. �If you look at the birds, all the indicators were there,� Hascall said. The birds were in otherwise good health, Hascall said. Officials with San Luis Obispo County Animal Control confiscated five roosters, five horses and four dogs from the ranch, which they said were underfed.

The animals will stay in Animal Control's possession as evidence until a judge decides otherwise, Hascall said. It was not clear whom the animals belonged to.

Cockfighting is a misdemeanor crime in California but is a felony in 32 states, including Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Legislation is being proposed that would make it a felony crime in California.

Source: Lompioc Record - February 15, 2006
Update posted on Mar 26, 2006 - 8:37PM

Back to Top

Neighborhood Map

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

Add this case to:

Del.icio.us

Digg

Furl

References

KSBY News - February 2006

« CA State Animal Cruelty Map

Not sure what these icons mean? Click here.

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.

Site Map ¤ Disclaimer ¤ Privacy Policy

900 roosters found, believed to be gamecocksNipomo, CA (US)

Case Updates

Neighborhood Map

References

900 roosters found, believed to be gamecocks
Nipomo, CA (US)