Cockfighting - 21 arrested, 41 birds seized Tifton, GA (US) Incident Date: Sunday, Apr 16, 2006 County: Tift Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: » Marcus Bryant Webb » Inosencio Alvarado » Antonio Mendez » Juan Ortiz Salinas » Benjamin Vasquez » Joel Hernandez » Percialiano Calvill » Mario Chavez » Eulogio Prudente Torres » Javier Torres » Hugo Enrique » Luis Hernandez » Enrique Ortega » Joseph Eduardo Padilla » Nazaro Padilla » Rengio Hernandez Padilla » Roberta Martinez Padilla » Florencio Hernandez » Josea Robles Hernandez » Marcos Robles » Delfino Rodriquez Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

Case ID: 8155 Classification: Fighting Animal: chicken View more cases in GA (US) Login to Watch this Case

The Midsouth Narcotics Task Force and Tift County Animal Control raided a cockfighting arena on April 16 in a barn on Ellis Bryan Road between Omega and Excelsior. While many of the spectators � estimated to be a crowd of more than 100 people � escaped, 21 men were arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty � a felony. Forty-one fighting roosters were seized by animal control officers while nine were found dead and two were euthanized because of their injuries.

Two national animal rights organizations, In Defense of Animals and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have responded to the chicken-fighting arrests. IDA, a California-based group, contacted District Attorney Paul Bowden and issued a press release on the case. PETA sent a letter to the editor of The Tifton Gazette. The letter will be printed in The Gazette this weekend.

IDA asked Bowden to �vigorously prosecute� the 21 men. The press release said that the men should �pay the highest price� if convicted of their crimes. The maximum sentence for aggravated animal cruelty is five years in prison and a fine of $15,000.

�Cockfighting is egregiously cruel and anyone caught participating in these violent, bloody events should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,� said Elliot M. Katz, founder and president of IDA.

Bowden said he prosecutes all types of cases including murders, rapes, robberies and burglaries, and that he would handle the animal cruelty cases like any other.

�I prosecute every case that is appropriate to prosecute,� said the district attorney. �It�s a case. It will be handled that way.�

IDA�s release stated that cockfighting is illegal in all but two states and 33 states consider the offense a felony.

The release stated that gamecocks are bred to be aggressive and are injected with stimulants, testosterone and blood-clotting drugs to increase their fighting performance. It said that the roosters� natural spurs are cut off and they are fitted with sharp steel blades or curved implements called gaffs to replace the natural spurs. Several of these spur-like weapons were seized during the raid Sunday.

The release stated that fighting roosters �suffer gruesome injuries, including broken wings and legs, punctured lungs, severed spinal cords and split eyes.�

The release also said that cockfighting is often involved with other crimes such as gambling, drugs and weapons violations. Although no one was charged with a gambling offense, authorities seized $3,400 in the Sunday raid and one gun. No drugs were found.

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References

Tifton Gazette - April 20, 2006

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