Two men from Riverside County have been arrested on suspicion of running an illegal cockfighting operation in Yucaipa, with law enforcement seizing a considerable cache of roosters, weapons, and cash, as per San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Officers descended upon a property on the 32000 block of Avenue E this past Saturday morning, following reports of the illicit activity. CBS News Los Angeles detailed that upon arrival, authorities noted approximately 50 vehicles trying to leave the scene.
During the operation, a suspect identified as Jose Luis Adame, aged 33, allegedly drove his car toward a deputy, and a pursuit followed when he failed to stop. After being apprehended, Adame now faces charges including assault with a deadly weapon, as reported by KTLA. Inside his vehicle, deputies found six live roosters. Meanwhile, a second suspect, 35-year-old Carlos Romero, was found with seven roosters and a hidden firearm, along with a substantial amount of money.
The deputies detained a further 33 spectators present at the property, and the department's aviation unit played a crucial role in spotting Romero, who was concealing himself inside a truck. The operation revealed not just the troublingly widespread participation in this unlawful venture but also the premeditated nature of the combat, with the discovery of a "fighting ring with a scoreboard and steel talons" used in the matches, as mentioned in a news release by the SBSD Yucaipa Police Department.
Upon obtaining a search warrant, more illegal paraphernalia was found, including additional fighting spikes and about two dozen guns were seized from a safe, the department reported. San Bernardino County Animal Control personnel were also at the scene and uncovered 17 deceased roosters among the live and boxed ones, as per the SBSD Yucaipa Police Department. The investigation is ongoing, and the sheriff's department encourages anyone with further information to come forward and contact the Yucaipa Sheriff's Station.
