Washington State Police Raids Cockfighting Venue
Cockfighting is considered one of the most vilified forms of gambling in the United States. activities, including dog fights, rooster baiting, and various other cruel warrior games. While not every American will have a disdainful reaction when informed of these activities, it's fair to say that the majority would express revulsion at the thought. Still, these activities manage to exist thanks to supporters who abide by them.
In Washington, a farmer was recently apprehended on suspicion of rearing birds for cockfights. Victor Hugo Gallegos Chavez was taken into custody at his residence in Rochester, a town approximately 70 miles southwest of Seattle, after authorities acquired a search warrant for his property.
Birds Destined for Cockfighting in Other Regions
According to court records, Chavez and others claim he raised the birds to be sold to cockfighting arenas in Oregon, Mexico, and other locations. Though cockfighting is forbidden across the United States, it's legal in Mexico and certain other countries.
A total of 300 chickens – 240 roosters and 60 hens – were confiscated during the raid and were forced to be euthanized. The confiscated birds were discovered to have steroids in their systems, making them inappropriate for rehabilitation or consumption.
Long-Running Probe Leads to Arrest
The raid and Chavez's arrest came following a two-year-long investigation by the Washington State Gambling Commission. Undercover agents planted hidden cameras on the farm that recorded instances of Chavez affixing the birds to barrels and inducing them to fight each other for up to a minute at a time.
"I have chickens of my own," observed Joseph Wheeler, a senior deputy prosecuting attorney in Thurston County. "To treat a bird like a toy is just not right in this world."
Chavez has been charged with 100 counts of animal abuse. In addition to that, he is being charged with a crime connected to gambling and another crime related to operating an animal fighting establishment. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a possible $10,000 fine. His bail amount was set at $25,000, with formal charges to be filed later in the week.
There could be more legal issues for Chavez to face. Federal immigration authorities may possess information indicating that he resides in the country illegally. This has led to a temporary freeze on the case. However, Chavez will still have to deal with the charges that have been leveled against him before the possibility of deportation arises.
Recent developments mark the second major cockfighting-bust in the United States this year. In February, law enforcement officials in New York confiscated 3,000 birds and detained 70 individuals for participating in cockfights in Queens.
Cockfighting in America
As of 2007, cockfighting has been outlawed in all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C. However, the severity of punishment for violating these laws fluctuates: only 33 states and the nation's capital have established cockfighting as a felony offense.
Additionally, it is illegal in all states for a person to knowingly participate in a cockfight or to bring a minor to such an event. The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, a subsection of the Farm Bill signed into law in February, also made this a federal offense.
Cockfighting remains sanctioned in several U.S. territories, namely Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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