Illegal Bird-Fighting Operation Discovered In Oro Grande

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ORO GRANDE – Two Oro Grande men were cited for an illegal bird-fighting operation on Wednesday.

The investigation began when the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Rural Crime Task Force received information about a possibly illegal bird-fighting operation in the 24000 block of Ledbury Avenue in Oro Grande.

The investigation led to a search warrant, which as served at around 10:53 a.m. on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. During the search 117 roosters were located, all housed in separate cages. Authorities said that the majority of them had their combs and waddles remove, which is consistent with bird fighting.

All roosters were seized with the assistance of County Animal control. The owners of the property, 52-year-old, Jose Vargas and 24-year-old Jose Lopez Vargas were issued animal cruelty citations and were released at the scene.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to contact Deputy Rob Oakleaf at the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Lucerne Sub-station at (760) 248-7655. Persons wishing to remain anonymous can report information to WeTip by calling 1-800-78-CRIME, or by accessing the website at www.wetip.com.