Deputies found more than 100 roosters. Now a Fresno man faces cockfighting charges.

A Fresno man has been indicted on three counts of cockfighting after deputies in April broke up what they say was an illicit operation in Kerman.

Thomas Lee Crow 48, faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

He was charged with aiding and abetting an unlawful animal fighting venture, attending an animal fighting venture and unlawfully possessing animals for an animal fighting venture.

On April 21, law enforcement allegedly found Crow at a cockfight in Kerman, where deputies and detectives went on to recover 129 fighting roosters, including 28 dead and nine injured birds.

Cockfighting equipment such as gaffs, blades, sheaths, gamecock leather boots and scales also were seized, detectives said.

Three spectators also were arrested. Job Hernandez, 35, of Visalia, Javier Flores-Arreola, 48, of Los Banos, and Javier Cerda, 65, of Reedley face animal cruelty charges.

Cockfighting is illegal in California and the rest of the nation. Louisiana was the last state to ban cockfighting, in 2007.

It is legal in Mexico and many other countries around the world. But felony animal-abuse cases have been filed against people who smuggle birds from the U.S. into Mexico.

Cockfighting has been a growing problem in California.

In May, the largest ever illegal cockfighting bust occurred in Santa Clarita Valley with more than 7,000 rosters found.

This story was originally published October 12, 2017 at 8:23 PM with the headline "Deputies found more than 100 roosters. Now a Fresno man faces cockfighting charges.."