A hearing tomorrow will determine the fate of 54 roosters that were seized Nov. 23 during a cockfighting raid on Frazier Lake Road. The birds that remain unclaimed have been housed at the Hollister Animal Shelter with the hearing pending.
The birds are in the possession of San Benito County, which has been housing them at the shelter. The county’s legal counsel is petitioning for an order for humane destruction and disposition of the seized birds. The hearing will be in courtroom 2 at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.
According to the state penal code 599aa (e) if ownership of the seized birds cannot be determined after reasonable efforts, the officer after holding the animals or birds for a period of not less than 10 days may petition the court for permission to humanely destroy or otherwise dispose of the animals.
If the court order is approved, officers will have to wait until four days after the order to destroy the birds. Only birds that have been used in violation of the provisions of the penal code related to fighting birds or those at the scene or site of a violation of any of the provisions in the penal code related to fighting of birds or animals may be destroyed.
According to a police statement, animal control and the CHP seized a total of 66 roosters. Four roosters were found dead as a result of the fighting. Seven had sustained life-threatening injuries and were euthanized, and 55 live roosters were seized as evidence.
“Also seized were numerous knives that are attached to the birds during the fight,” according to the police report.
A San Martin man, listed as Agustin S. Medieta, 35, was arrested for possessing a fighting rooster and being a spectator. The CHP found him about two miles away. He was holding a fighting rooster that he claimed had followed him, according to police.
Also arrested for being spectators were Bernardino Hernandez, 68, from Salinas; Jose R. Perez, 87, from Salinas; Pedro L. Hernandez, 45, from Gilroy; Gustavo G. Perez, 44, from Menlo Park; Roberto H. Jimenez-Santiago, 19, from Morgan Hill; and Erik D. Melero Villarreal, 28, from Menlo Park. They were all cited and released for the misdemeanor crime.
In addition to the Nov. 23 incident, police on Friday found about 400 chickens on a Fairview Road property and arrested three Hollister men on suspicion of possessing the birds for cockfighting, according to the Hollister Police Department.
The suspects are Roberto Hernandez Ramirez, 30, Raul Botello Ramirez, 49, and Jesus Manuel Hernandez, 19.
They were booked into the San Benito County Jail with recommended charges of misdemeanor crimes for possessing game cocks for fighting, owning/training an animal for fighting and cruelty to animals, according to police.
Hollister police, sheriff’s deputies and drug enforcement officers served the warrant at about 10 a.m. Friday at the property in the 4300 block of Fairview Road.
According to the police statement: “Approximately 400 total chickens were located on the property. Over 120 roosters were specially caged and being prepared for use in cockfighting. Criminal paraphernalia related to illegal cockfighting was also collected.”
