Cockfighting under the Big Top, complete with clowns in cop cars

But cockfighters lose a few rounds elsewhere

            SULPHUR,  Oklahoma;  Stanton, Texas–– Refraining from calling recent Texas and Oklahoma cockfighting law enforcement––or lack thereof––a three-ring circus,  Showing Animals Respect & Kindness founder Steve Hindi,  Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy president Wayne Pacelle and Kevin Chambers,  representing both groups in Oklahoma,  at a March 12,  2025 media conference quietly detailed the case against cockfighting in all facets:

• Blatant, obvious cruelty to animals;
• A major vector for the H5N1 avian influenza pandemic jacking up egg prices;
• A major vector as well for drug-related offenses, illegal gambling,  and employment of illegal immigrants,  especially associated with Mexican crime cartels.

Cockfighting circus came up a ring short

Indeed,  there were only two cockfighting rings involved in the two most recent failures of Texas and Oklahoma law enforcement failure to bust cockfights to which sheriffs in both states were alerted well in advance.

But from the air at least,  the cockpit near Sulphur,  Oklahoma sure looked like a three-ring circus,  as documented by Hindi and Chambers both from the air with conventional and infrared drone cameras,  and from the ground with cameras peeking right into the ring.

“Ghost pit”

Exulted Hindi on March 6,  2025,  in an email to Showing Animals Respect & Kindness donors,  “A ‘ghost pit’ has been around in Oklahoma and we finally found it!  The cockfighters will pop up a large circus-like tent to hold their illegal cockfights.

“They got themselves a circus tent and embedded it in some trees,”  Hindi elaborated to the media conference six days later,  held after local law enforcement failed to follow up on the wealth of information Showing Animals Respect & Kindness and Animal Wellness Action provided in real time.

“It was a pretty good ploy.  It was hard to find,”  Hindi conceded.

“We went to this pit and saw their illegal activities this past weekend,”  Hindi detailed.  “The Murray County sheriff’s office did respond,  but only by sending one officer to take down information and license plates.”

Took down tent & hauled off evidence in broad daylight

Hindi appealed to recipients of his March 6,  2025 email “to call the Murray County sheriff’s office NOW,  because the cockfighters are currently on location attempting to take down the tent and destroy the evidence.  It is OUTRAGEOUS,”  Hindi fumed,  “that the sheriff is allowing them to remove the evidence.”

More than just the tent,  the Showing Animals Respect & Kindness video showed,  a wealth of further evidence was left behind when the cockfighting participants quickly but quietly fled after the single deputy’s arrival.

Video from inside the tent,  reported Erin Christy of KJRH television in Tulsa,  Oklahoma,  showed “a ring with spectators’ chairs surrounding it,  a judge’s table,  and other things that make up a cockfighting event.

“We credit the sheriff’s office for showing up”

“SHARK President Steve Hindi said it was very frustrating to see that when they called the Murray County Sheriff’s Office,  only one deputy showed up.

“That’s a big problem,” Hindi told her.  “Who would do that—send only one deputy––if you are intent on breaking this thing up,  citing people,  arresting people,  taking the birds?”

“We credit the Murray County Sheriff’s Office for showing up,”  said Pacelle from the March 12,  2025 media conference podium,  “but we are certainly concerned about the follow through.”

“2 News reached out to the Murray County Sheriff’s Office multiple times,”  Christy said,  “but no one ever answered the phone or responded to our voicemail message.

“Turning a blind eye”

“This is the latest example in what these groups have long called Oklahoma law enforcement ‘turning a blind eye’ to cockfighting,  which is a state and federal felony,”  Christy explained.

KTEN television news of Ada,  Oklahoma,  broadcasting as well into the vicinity of the cockpit near Stanton,  Texas,  also reported that,  “We reached out to the Murray County Sheriff’s Office for additional comment,  but have not heard back.”

(See How many cockfights can go on beside I-20 before one gets busted?)

Noted Mecca Thompson of KFOR television in Oklahoma City,  “Pacelle said Leflore County,  Bryant County,  Adair County,  Sequoyah County,  and Oklahoma County,”  as well as Murray County,  “are some of the places where the illegal activity is happening.”

Oklahoma State Senate Public Safety Committee rejects bills to decriminalize cockfighting

But Pacelle,  Hindi,  and Chambers did share some good news,  emerging from the Oklahoma state capitol in Oklahoma City on March 6,  2025.

Even as Hindi and team disappointedly videotaped a truck-and-trailer rig hauling away the Big Top and other evidence of the cockfighting circus and sideshows that had been there,  complete with tattooed ladies,  fat men,  and a variety of other freaks,  Pacelle announced that, “The Oklahoma Senate Public Safety Committee has rejected a proposal by State Senator Tom Woods to decriminalize cockfighting by reducing penalties from a felony to a misdemeanor.

“This decisive action,”  Pacelle said,  “reaffirms Oklahoma’s commitment against this cruel practice, reflecting overwhelming public support for maintaining strong legal consequences.”

“Looking the other way when crimes occur”

“While we are pleased that lawmakers are turning back the political efforts of cockfighters seeking to gut state law,”  Pacelle acknowledged,  “law enforcement agents in some jurisdictions are still looking the other way when crimes occur,  and the cockfighters are engaging in their organized criminal activity without consequence.

“Even when our investigative teams tee up an enforcement action,  we are seeing insufficient responses from law enforcement on the ground  and the criminals are getting away without even a slap on the wrist. These are unacceptable outcomes.”

“We did the hard work”

Agreed Hindi,  “We did the hard work of investigating,  uncovering,  and documenting these animal cruelty crimes, and then local law enforcement responded with indifference and incomplete actions.  We want to help law enforcement do their important work,  but they have to do their fair share.”

Added Chambers,  “I’ve been to cockfighting pits across Oklahoma,  and I can attest that illegal cockfighting activities are rampant.  We know where the pits are and we have a law that can be exercised,  but we are just not getting sufficient action from our law enforcement community.”

Big bust in Bourbon County, Kentucky

A positive example of anti-cockfighting law enforcement came meanwhile,  also on March 6,  2025,  from Paris,  Kentucky,  in Bourbon County.

“Kentucky State Police Post 6 in Dry Ridge has been involved in an investigation resulting in six individuals being charged with cruelty to animals,”  the police post announced.

“Post 6 was requested on March 2,  2025 to assist with a call for service” from the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office,  the announcement explained.

“Troopers discovered evidence of alleged chicken fighting activities and an investigation was initiated.

“70 deceased roosters”

“Troopers and detectives,  after securing a search warrant,  confirmed over 70 deceased roosters at the location along with others who were severely injured.”

Charged with cruelty to animals in the second degree were Abel Aguirer,  33;  Marco Espinoza,  30;  Fabian Lopez,  30;  Cierra Cooper,  28;  Gil Aguirer,  38 and Maeja Hepibetomeia,  43.

Two days later,  reported Jo Ciavaglia for the Bucks County Courier Times in Bucks County,  Pennsylvania,  Manfid Duran,  who was arraigned on March 8,  2024 on 46 counts of cockfighting,  plus 46 counts of neglect of animals,  on March 10,  2025 “entered an open guilty to dozens of charges including 49 third-degree felonies in connection with an illegal cockfighting ring.

“Open guilty plea”

“An open guilty plea means there is no negotiation on sentencing,”  Ciavaglia explained.

“Bucks County Common Pleas Court Judge Ray McHugh accepted the plea and deferred sentencing for 90 days.

“Duran’s wife Mara and Cesar Cordova-Morales,  of Chester County,  were approved for a nonviolent first-time offender probation program,”  Ciavaglia added.  “If they successfully complete the program,  their arrests could be expunged.”

The Bucks County SPCA ,  Ciavaglia said,  “rescued 49 roosters and hens that were being used as part of “ the Chester County cockfighting operation,  “uncovered when Plumstead police interrupted an alleged cockfight in progress on February 18,  2024 after receiving a noise complaint.”

Steroids & paraphernalia

Detailed John Anastasi for the Bucks County Courier Times after the arraignment,  “Police said they found two roosters fighting in a ring and about two dozen spectators,  who quickly dispersed when officers arrived.

“Police detained one Cesar Cordova-Morales,”  Anastasi said.

Cordova-Morales,  Anastasi recounted,  “was reportedly carrying a satchel containing several bottles of steroids,  cutting instruments,  string,  artificial metal spurs,  spur covers,  and other items commonly used in cockfighting,  according to officials with the Bucks County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.”

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