Deputies found a cockfighting ring, a scoreboard, guns and 250 roosters on a Yucaipa property, making two arrests and detaining 33 others.
Around 10 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, deputies responded to reports of possible illegal cockfighting in a residential area at the 3200 block of Avenue E. Around 50 vehicles were spotted on the property as authorities arrived, with many attempting to leave, including one vehicle that allegedly accelerated toward a patrol car during an attempting traffic stop.
A pursuit ensued and ended near 16th Street and Yucaipa Boulevard where deputies took the driver and his three passengers in custody, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.
Six live roosters were found in the rear cargo area, authorities said. The driver, a 33-year-old man from Riverside, was later arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and failure to yield to a peace officer. His vehicle was impounded.
Back at the property, 33 spectators were detained and 250 roosters were found being kept at the location. A fighting ring, scoreboard, and steel talons were also discovered. The Sheriff’s Aviation unit located a 35-year-old Perris man hiding inside a truck at the back of the property. He was found lying down inside the truck with a large sum of cash on him, alongside seven live roosters in boxes. He was arrested for cruelty to animals, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Authorities also found a Ruger semi-automatic handgun hidden inside the truck.
“We thank San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office for acting swiftly to bust this criminal cockfighting operation just as soon as they recognized a serious and deadly criminal operation was in progress,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “Cockfighting is a crime of animal cruelty, bound up with illegal gambling, drugs, and violence that tears apart our safe communities. The illegal sport is a breeding ground for avian influenza, known as bird flu that poses risk to human health, and we should exhibit no tolerance for this vicious crime.”
Members of the San Bernardino County Rural Task Force issued a search warrant at the property and seized 24 firearms from a large safe. More steel talons were also discovered. The San Bernardino County Animal Control tagged 61 boxed roosters, recovered eight live roosters and found 17 dead ones.
Several buildings were red-tagged on the property by the Yucaipa City Code Enforcement, including a trailer.
Originally Published:
