Two men suspected with firearms, gamecocks released from jail
Two men suspected of having several illegally possessed firearms as well as multiple gamecocks and items related to cockfighting were released from jail today on $10,000 bail bonds.
The suspects, a 30-year-old from Coachella and a 27-year-old Indio resident, were arrested Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of being a gang member with a firearm, animal cruelty and cockfighting, according to Sgt. Paul Heredia of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. It was not immediately known whether the two men were related.
The Indio man was additionally arrested on suspicion of providing firearms to a convicted felon and possessing a stolen firearm while the Coachella man was additionally suspected being a felon in possession of firearms and of ammunition, Heredia said.
The Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force along with the La Quinta Special Enforcement Team and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department of Aviation searched two residences, one in Coachella and one in Indio, according to Heredia.
After searching one residence each in the 52000 block of Calle Leandro and in the 81000 block of Avenue 46, Gang Task Force officers allegedly found several illegally possessed firearms including seven rifles, one which was previously reported stolen, and 10 handguns.
"Additionally, Gang Task Force Officers located multiple gamecocks and items related to cockfighting such as gaffs, the razor-sharp steel blades used to attach to a gamecocks' legs during a cockfight,'' Heredia wrote in a statement. "Riverside County Animal Control subsequently responded and too possession of the gamecocks that were located during the search warrant."
The two suspects were subsequently arrested and booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio but posted $10,000 bail bonds and were released Thursday, according to inmate records.
Anyone with additional information on the firearms or cockfighting was asked to call CVVCGTF member Deputy J. Chavez at 760-836-1600.
