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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office recently announced a significant bust, seizing $13,600 in cash and approximately 130 roosters, which were ultimately euthanized due to potential health hazards.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Late Tuesday, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office revealed the arrest of 11 individuals linked to an illegal rooster-fighting operation. The arrests stemmed from a tip-off that led officers to a residence on Jake Road on Saturday, January 24th, after receiving a neighbor’s report about ongoing rooster fights.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a live cockfight in progress in the backyard, surrounded by a crowd of spectators. The onlookers were observed wagering money and consuming alcohol as a referee officiated the event.
As law enforcement officers approached, the men attempted to flee the scene. However, the police swiftly apprehended seven suspects. A subsequent investigation by narcotics and vice detectives revealed four more individuals, three of whom were concealed in the rafters of a shed, while another was hiding beneath a camper bed.
JSO says the men started to run after spotting the officers. Officers caught up with seven men initially, and a second search by narcotics and vice detectives uncovered four additional suspects, three hiding in the rafters of a shed and one under a camper bed.
The arrests were shown in a video posted by JSO.
- Alejandro Gutierrez Garcia (35)
- Ariel Villavicencio Ruiz (49)
- Omar Bonet Suarez (51)
- Raydel Hernandez Lorenzo (46)
- Ariel Rivero Santana (53)
- Pablo Marrero Pena (37)
- Sergio Pupo Cespedes (36)
- Osvaldo Acosta (61)
- Hector Perez Gonzalez (34)
- Angel Sabater Mora (42)
- Damian Garcia Olivera (50)
The release also states Pupo Cespedes, Sabater Mora, Perez Gonzalez, and Gutierrez Garcia were in the country illegally.
Officers brought in the vice unit to continue the investigation, leading to the discovery of dozens of metal fighting spurs, deceased roosters and cages along with $13,600 in cash.
According to the agency, about 130 roosters were located on property. Officials determined that the birds posed a significant risk of avian disease and could not be rehabilitated because of their aggression, so JSO and Animal Control and Protective Services (ACPS) made the decision to euthanize them all.
“This is animal cruelty, these guys have turned peaceful animals into foot-tall killing machines for sport and that’s unacceptable,” said JSO Vice Sergeant Guy Daniels, who responded to the scene. “These birds are plucked from the waist down, metal spurs are glued to their claws, and they’re thrown into a ring for a vicious fight to the death.”
Male chickens, or roosters, are not allowed in residential areas under city ordinance. A limited number of female chickens are allowed to be possessed through permits as part of the Backyard Hen Program.
“When the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office dismantled a brutal cockfighting operation, they sent a clear message that cruelty will not be tolerated in Jacksonville,” said ACPS Chief Michael Bricker. “I’m grateful for their partnership and their commitment to stopping inhumane treatment of animals. Cases like this don’t come together without care and teamwork.”
