Cock Fighting Ring Busted Near Yucaipa

YUCAIPA – A coalition of law enforcement personnel served a search warrant on the 10000 block of Sprig Avenue, and found all the makings of a cock-fighting ring.

Authorities say their investigation started three months before serving the warrant after getting information from the Humane Society of the United States. They claimed the people living at the residence were breeding, raising, training, and conditioning the birds to be “battle fowl.”

Investigators believe that the suspects were also selling and transporting birds to Mexico to compete in cockfighting derbies.

No one was at home when officers served the search warrant, and they believe they were out of the country. But on the premises, they found 400 roosters and 200 hens, and evidence they say is consistent with breeding “battle fowl.”

“According to published reports in a cockfighting magazine the owners ran an operation encompassing the United States and Mexico,” said Eric Sakach, senior law enforcement specialist for The HSUS. “The actions of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department send a clear message to the community that San Bernardino County takes allegations of cockfighting activities seriously.”