![\"Clown](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.animals24-7.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Picsart_25-03-12_21-59-46-459-e1741842011259.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n(Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SULPHUR,\u00a0 Oklahoma;\u00a0 Stanton, Texas\u2013\u2013<\/strong> Refraining from calling recent Texas and Oklahoma cockfighting law enforcement\u2013\u2013or lack thereof\u2013\u2013a three-ring circus,\u00a0 Showing Animals Respect & Kindness founder Steve Hindi,\u00a0 Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy president Wayne Pacelle\u00a0<\/strong>and Kevin Chambers,\u00a0 representing both groups in Oklahoma,\u00a0 at a March 12,\u00a0 2025 media conference quietly detailed the case against cockfighting in all facets:<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Indeed,\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n But from the air at least,\u00a0 the cockpit near Sulphur,\u00a0 Oklahoma sure looked like a three-ring circus,\u00a0 as\u00a0documented by Hindi and Chambers both from the air with conventional and infrared drone cameras,\u00a0 and from the ground with cameras peeking right into the ring.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Exulted Hindi on March 6,\u00a0 2025,\u00a0 in an email to Showing Animals Respect & Kindness donors,\u00a0 \u201cA \u2018ghost pit\u2019 has been around in Oklahoma and we finally found it! \u00a0The cockfighters will pop up a large circus-like tent to hold their illegal cockfights.<\/p>\n \u201cThey got themselves a circus tent and embedded it in some trees,\u201d\u00a0 Hindi elaborated to the media conference six days later,\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a pretty good ploy.\u00a0 It was hard to find,\u201d\u00a0 Hindi conceded.<\/p>\n \u201cWe went to this pit and saw their illegal activities this past weekend,\u201d\u00a0 Hindi detailed.\u00a0 \u201cThe Murray County sheriff\u2019s office did respond, \u00a0but only by sending one officer to take down information and license plates.\u201d<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Hindi appealed to recipients of his March 6,\u00a0 2025 email \u201cto call the Murray County sheriff\u2019s office NOW, \u00a0because the cockfighters are currently on location attempting to take down the tent and destroy the evidence.\u00a0 It is OUTRAGEOUS,\u201d\u00a0 Hindi fumed, \u00a0\u201cthat the sheriff is allowing them to remove the evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n More than just the tent,\u00a0 the Showing Animals Respect & Kindness video showed,\u00a0 a wealth of further evidence was left behind when the cockfighting participants quickly but quietly fled after the single deputy\u2019s arrival.<\/p>\n Video from inside the tent,\u00a0 reported Erin Christy of KJRH television in Tulsa,\u00a0 Oklahoma,\u00a0 showed \u201ca ring with spectators\u2019 chairs surrounding it, \u00a0a judge\u2019s table, \u00a0and other things that make up a cockfighting event.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cSHARK President Steve Hindi said it was very frustrating to see that when they called the Murray County Sheriff\u2019s Office, \u00a0only one deputy showed up.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a big problem,\u201d Hindi told her. \u00a0\u201cWho would do that\u2014send only one deputy\u2013\u2013if you are intent on breaking this thing up, \u00a0citing people, \u00a0arresting people, \u00a0taking the birds?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe credit the Murray County Sheriff\u2019s Office for showing up,\u201d\u00a0 said Pacelle from the March 12,\u00a0 2025 media conference podium, \u00a0\u201cbut we are certainly concerned about the follow through.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c2 News reached out to the Murray County Sheriff\u2019s Office multiple times,\u201d\u00a0 Christy said,\u00a0 \u201cbut no one ever answered the phone or responded to our voicemail message.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThis is the latest example in what these groups have long called Oklahoma law enforcement \u2018turning a blind eye\u2019 to cockfighting, \u00a0which is a state and federal felony,\u201d\u00a0 Christy explained.<\/p>\n KTEN television news of Ada, \u00a0Oklahoma, \u00a0broadcasting as well into the vicinity of the cockpit near Stanton,\u00a0 Texas,\u00a0 also reported that,\u00a0 \u201cWe reached out to the Murray County Sheriff\u2019s Office for additional comment, \u00a0but have not heard back.\u201d<\/p>\n (See How many cockfights can go on beside I-20 before one gets busted?<\/a>)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Noted Mecca Thompson of KFOR television in Oklahoma City,\u00a0 \u201cPacelle said Leflore County, \u00a0Bryant County, \u00a0Adair County, \u00a0Sequoyah County, \u00a0and Oklahoma County,\u201d\u00a0 as well as Murray County, \u00a0\u201care some of the places where the illegal activity is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt consorts with the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission;\u00a0 but cockfighters have not gotten their way in the statehouse.<\/strong><\/em> But Pacelle,\u00a0 Hindi,\u00a0 and Chambers did share some good news,\u00a0 emerging from the Oklahoma state capitol in Oklahoma City on March 6,\u00a0 2025.<\/p>\n 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,\u00a0 complete with tattooed ladies,\u00a0 fat men,\u00a0 and a variety of other freaks,\u00a0 Pacelle announced that, \u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n \u201cThis decisive action,\u201d\u00a0 Pacelle said, \u00a0\u201creaffirms Oklahoma\u2019s commitment against this cruel practice, reflecting overwhelming public support for maintaining strong legal consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWhile we are pleased that lawmakers are turning back the political efforts of cockfighters seeking to gut state law,\u201d\u00a0 Pacelle acknowledged, \u00a0\u201claw enforcement agents in some jurisdictions are still looking the other way when crimes occur, \u00a0and the cockfighters are engaging in their organized criminal activity without consequence.<\/p>\n \u201cEven when our investigative teams tee up an enforcement action, \u00a0we are seeing insufficient responses from law enforcement on the ground \u00a0and the criminals are getting away without even a slap on the wrist. These are unacceptable outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Agreed Hindi,\u00a0 \u201cWe did the hard work of investigating, \u00a0uncovering, \u00a0and documenting these animal cruelty crimes, and then local law enforcement responded with indifference and incomplete actions. \u00a0We want to help law enforcement do their important work, \u00a0but they have to do their fair share.\u201d<\/p>\n Added Chambers,\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been to cockfighting pits across Oklahoma, \u00a0and I can attest that illegal cockfighting activities are rampant.\u00a0 We know where the pits are and we have a law that can be exercised, \u00a0but we are just not getting sufficient action from our law enforcement community.\u201d<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n A positive example of anti-cockfighting law enforcement came meanwhile,\u00a0 also on March 6,\u00a0 2025,\u00a0 from Paris,\u00a0 Kentucky,\u00a0 in Bourbon County.<\/p>\n \u201cKentucky State Police Post 6 in Dry Ridge has been involved in an investigation resulting in six individuals being charged with cruelty to animals,\u201d\u00a0 the police post announced.<\/p>\n \u201cPost 6 was requested on March 2,\u00a0 2025 to assist with a call for service\u201d from the Bourbon County Sheriff\u2019s Office, \u00a0the announcement explained.<\/p>\n \u201cTroopers discovered evidence of alleged chicken fighting activities and an investigation was initiated.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cTroopers and detectives,\u00a0 after securing a search warrant, \u00a0confirmed over 70 deceased roosters at the location along with others who were severely injured.\u201d<\/p>\n Charged with cruelty to animals in the second degree were Abel Aguirer, \u00a033;\u00a0 Marco Espinoza, \u00a030;\u00a0 Fabian Lopez, \u00a030;\u00a0 Cierra Cooper, \u00a028;\u00a0 Gil Aguirer, \u00a038 and Maeja Hepibetomeia, \u00a043.<\/p>\n Two days later,\u00a0 reported Jo Ciavaglia for the Bucks County Courier Times<\/em> in Bucks County,\u00a0 Pennsylvania,\u00a0 Manfid Duran,\u00a0 who was arraigned on March 8,\u00a0 2024 on 46 counts of cockfighting,\u00a0 plus 46 counts of neglect of animals,\u00a0 on March 10,\u00a0 2025 \u201centered an open guilty to dozens of charges including 49 third-degree felonies in connection with an illegal cockfighting ring.<\/p>\n (Plumstead police photo)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cAn open guilty plea means there is no negotiation on sentencing,\u201d\u00a0 Ciavaglia explained.<\/p>\n \u201cBucks County Common Pleas Court Judge Ray McHugh accepted the plea and deferred sentencing for 90 days.<\/p>\n \u201cDuran\u2019s wife Mara and Cesar Cordova-Morales, \u00a0of Chester County, \u00a0were approved for a nonviolent first-time offender probation program,\u201d\u00a0 Ciavaglia added. \u00a0\u201cIf they successfully complete the program, \u00a0their arrests could be expunged.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bucks County SPCA ,\u00a0 Ciavaglia said,\u00a0 \u201crescued 49 roosters and hens that were being used as part of \u201c the Chester County cockfighting operation,\u00a0 \u201cuncovered when Plumstead police interrupted an alleged cockfight in progress on February 18, \u00a02024 after receiving a noise complaint.\u201d<\/p>\nBut cockfighters lose a few rounds elsewhere<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a><\/p>\nCockfighting circus came up a ring short<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cGhost pit\u201d<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nTook down tent & hauled off evidence in broad daylight<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cWe credit the sheriff\u2019s office for showing up\u201d<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cTurning a blind eye\u201d<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n
(Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\nOklahoma State Senate Public Safety Committee rejects bills to decriminalize cockfighting<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cLooking the other way when crimes occur\u201d<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cWe did the hard work\u201d<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nBig bust in Bourbon County, Kentucky<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201c70 deceased roosters\u201d<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cOpen guilty plea\u201d<\/h2>\n