Twelve men and one woman were arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, April 25, 2020, at a cock-fighting event in Frostproof.
Deputies had been tipped-off regarding a large crowd attending a possible cock-fight event at 1940 West Frostproof Road, and when they arrived, they found wounded and bloody roosters, a fighting ring, acrylic spurs, and scales.
Detectives from the PCSO Agriculture Crimes Unit obtained a search warrant for the property which led them to additional evidence that the illegal sport had been operating there, such as: sparring gloves with spurs, vitamins, antibiotics, performance-enhancing drugs, and blood-clotting ointments.
The residents of the property, Jorge Luis Ocasio-Montanez and Carmen Idalia Rivera-Rodriguez, both 56, were determined to be the owners of the roosters. They were each charged with Owning Equipment for Animal Fighting (F3), Promoting Animal Fights (F3), Owning Animals for Fighting (F3), and Operating a Property for Animal Fighting (F3).
“We appreciate the tip we received about this cock-fighting event. Keeping and fighting these animals for the purpose of gaming and profit will not be tolerated. It’s extremely violent and cruel to the birds. I’m glad we were able to shut this down.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.
The other eleven men who were arrested were charged with Attending the Fighting of Animals (F3). They were identified as: Samuel Rosario-Maisonet, 18, of Sebring, Ramon Rivera-Ortiz, 71, of Avon Park, Eleazar Jimenez-Laporte, 44, of Avon Park, Paulino Adelso Borgen-De Jesus, 56, of Orlando, Victor Manuel Montes-Maldonado, 39, of Sebring, Wilfredo Rivera-Herrera, 61, of Sebring, Jose Guadalupe Martinez-Martinez, 38, of Avon Park, Leasiv N. Pantoja, 38, of Frostproof, Rafael Marquez-Baez, 56, Kissimmee, Johnathan Ernesto Colon-Portilatin, 25, of Kissimmee, and Jose Angel Garcia-Baez, 52, of Kissimmee.
All thirteen were transported to the Polk County Jail in Bartow.
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