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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office recently reported the confiscation of $13,600 in cash and the seizure of approximately 130 roosters, which were subsequently euthanized due to potential health hazards.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Tuesday evening, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office revealed that 11 individuals had been arrested in relation to a rooster-fighting operation.
The report stated that officers responded to a complaint from a neighbor on Saturday, January 24, regarding a rooster fight taking place at a residence on Jake Road.
Upon arrival, officers discovered an ongoing cockfight in the backyard. A crowd was gathered around the pen, many holding cash and drinking alcohol, while a referee supervised the event.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the men attempted to flee once officers were spotted. Initially, seven individuals were apprehended, and a subsequent search by narcotics and vice detectives led to the capture of four more suspects, found hiding in a shed’s rafters and under a camper bed.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shared video footage of the arrests on social media.
- 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.”
