Riverside County sheriff’s officers have arrested two men for allegedly operating an illegal cock fighting ring covertly.
After hearing about the “illegal ‘cock fighting’ occurring on the property,” deputies were sent to the 32000 block of Avenue E in Yucaipa on Saturday at around 10 a.m., according to a statement from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
“When deputies arrived, approximately 50 vehicles were seen on the property with the majority attempting to drive away,” added the statement. “When deputies attempted to stop a vehicle, the driver accelerated toward a patrol unit.”
The statement claims that when the deputy managed to avoid being struck by the vehicle, they started to chase after the driver.
The driver and three passengers were taken into custody when they finally pulled over close to 16th Street and Yucaipa Boulevard, according to deputies.
“Six live roosters were found in the rear cargo area,” according to the RSO statement.
According to the statement, the driver, Jose Luis Adame, 33, of Riverside, was taken into custody and his car was seized by deputies.
“Deputies detained 33 people identified as spectators on the property where approximately 250 roosters were kept, and a fighting ring with a scoreboard and steel talons were found,” added the statement.
At the back of the property, a person was seen hiding inside a truck by a department aircraft unit. Deputies found Carlos Romero, a 35-year-old male from Perris, there. He was inside boxes with seven live roosters in the truck.
A “large sum of U.S. currency on his person and a hidden Ruger semi-automatic handgun inside the truck” were discovered when he was taken into custody, according to the statement.
After obtaining a search order for the property, deputies found two dozen firearms and more steel talons inside a safe.
According to the statement, San Bernardino County Animal Control workers discovered 17 dead roosters, 8 living roosters, and 61 boxed roosters after Yucaipa City Code Enforcement was asked to red flag multiple buildings on the property.
We encourage anyone with more information to call SBSD at (909) 918-2305.