Two men from Coolidge, Arizona, have been swept up by the law and now face serious charges relating to what authorities described as a large-scale cockfighting operation. Samuel Felix, age 60, and Gerald Vaughn, age 61, are the duo at the center of the recent indictment, each on the hook for 80 counts of cockfighting. In addition, both face a charge of controlling an illegal enterprise – a class three felony, according to information from FOX 10 Phoenix.
The two found themselves in the crosshairs of the Arizona Department of Public Safety's Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement after a months-long investigation into activities that were suspected to be less than legal. Vaughn's rap sheet also includes three counts of additional animal cruelty, which stems from the deplorable conditions in which several animals other than the roosters were discovered. Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller vowed to "aggressively prosecute those who profit from these operations and violate Arizona’s laws and community standards," as obtained by 12 News.
It was in the summer heat of 2025 when the multi-agency investigation began to intensively zero in on two residential properties in Coolidge. This culminated in a search warrant execution on October 29, a raid that unearthed over 110 fighting roosters, various cockfighting paraphernalia, and items typically associated with gambling and animal fighting operations such as training equipment, ledgers, steroids, and monetary evidence, as per 12 News.
Investigators were also troubled to find searing evidence of serious neglect amongst the many animals on the properties, including but not limited to dogs. Gang-related items and firearms further complicated the scene. The Arizona Humane Society played a critical role, providing documentation and care for the animals found in distress. While this has surely been a win for law enforcement, the case signals an ongoing battle against organized crime that uses animal suffering as its playing field, according to details from both FOX 10 Phoenix and 12 News.
