JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Acting on a tip-off from a vigilant local, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office uncovered an illicit rooster-fighting ring concealed on a Jake Road property, leading to felony charges for 11 suspects.

Residents of the typically tranquil and serene rural area were taken aback by the revelation that such a violent, covert operation was unfolding in their own neighborhood. The tip that initiated the investigation came from an observer who noticed suspicious happenings on the premises.

“They always held these events at night, just when people were settling in to sleep. That was when you’d hear the parties, the loud music, and you just knew cockfights were taking place,” explained Joe D’Angelo, a local resident for half a century.

Douglas Swagerty, another neighbor, expressed his astonishment at the discovery.

“It’s not right. I know that much. I mean, this animal cruelty destroys our neighborhood,” he said.

When officers arrived Saturday, they found a cockfight in progress, with spectators holding cash and a referee controlling the ring. Several suspects tried to run away, hiding in rafters and under a camper, but 11 men were eventually apprehended. JSO said four of them were in the country illegally.

JSO detectives reportedly discovered dozens of metal spurs, dead roosters, and over $13,000 in cash on the property. The 130 roosters found could not be rehabilitated and were humanely euthanized due to the aggressive training they had undergone and concerns about the potential for avian flu.

Mark Baughman, a crime and safety expert with First Coast News, has decades of experience investigating animal fighting rings, including dog and rooster fights in the 1980s. He says that while cases like this still occur, they are far less common than in past decades.

“Well, what stands out to me is how inhumane it is,” Baughman said. “It’s almost like a boxing match. There’s a ring, people control the animals on both sides, and they let them fight. In cockfights, spurs are glued to the birds’ claws, sometimes dipped in hot wax, to cause maximum injury. They fight until one is unable to continue.”

Baughman explained that these operations are usually covert, advertised by word of mouth, and highly profitable due to gambling. 

“This type of activity is lucrative, and that’s why it continues. The rings are secretive, and organizers often move operations from place to place to avoid law enforcement,” he said.

He also highlighted cultural context, noting that in some countries, such as Cuba, cockfighting is legal and culturally accepted. 

“But in Jacksonville, it’s illegal, and law enforcement will enforce the law,” Baughman said.

Baughman encourages neighbors to be vigilant for signs of animal fighting: frequent visitors at odd hours, large numbers of certain animals like pit bulls or roosters, and unusual transport of animals in cages.

Baughman emphasized the potential consequences for organizers: heavy criminal penalties, potential deportation for those not legally in the country, and a lasting impact on anyone involved.