Dead roosters filled trash barrels at large cockfight, dozens more rescued, deputies say

Four men were booked, one on felony charges, after Fresno County sheriff’s deputies broke up a large cockfighting operation involving more than 100 birds late Friday in the Kerman area. Deputies said they found trash barrels filled with dead roosters.

Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said deputies responding to a report about the operation in the 600 block of North Vineland Avenue discovered dozens of cars parked outside a large barn and heard loud music blaring inside.

As they approached, a roll-up door opened and about 100 people ran out, some to their cars and others through fields. Inside, deputies found a rectangular fighting ring, boxes used for cages, scales for weighing the birds, cash and receipts.

Deputies also found 25 dead roosters in garbage cans, 10 injured roosters and 114 live birds, some of which were running loose in the barn. The surviving roosters were transported to the Central California SPCA.

Arrested were Thomas Crow, 48, on felony charges of cruelty to animals, along with Javier Arreola, 47, Job Hernandez, 34, and Javier Cerda, on misdemeanor charges of being a spectator at an animal fight.

This story was originally published April 25, 2017 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Dead roosters filled trash barrels at large cockfight, dozens more rescued, deputies say."