A Hialeah businessman's side hustle has landed him in hot water after police discovered he was allegedly running a largescale cockfighting operation out his auto parts store; Juan Romero, 58, was busted after detectives on a fraud case stumbled upon the grim scene, officials said.
During a seemingly routine investigation in the industrial expanse of the 4600 block of East 10th Lane, police found a bevy of cages with roosters stripped of their leg feathers — a telltale sign of battle prep—NBC Miami reports, feathers that are often plucked to prevent other birds from grabbing them during a fight making fights bloodier and more lethal than they would otherwise be. The search continued, revealing more signs of the illicit sport, including red foam cutouts used to incite the birds' aggression.
Romero, owner of A&M A/C Auto Parts Inc., found himself in cuffs after he admitted to owning the fowl fighters and granted officers access to his business, where they discovered the makings of a full-fledged cockfighting ring equipped with additional roosters, as described in an interview with Local 10.
Lieutenant Eddie Rodriguez of the Hialeah Police Department elaborated on the eerie findings, confirming the rescue of approximately 160 roosters intended for combat, NBC Miami quoted him, Romero, now faces charges including possession of animals to fight, illegal possession of animal fighting equipment, and using a property for the use of animal fighting; his bond is set at $5,000 and he’s currently cooling his heels at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
