State Police Arrest Six On Cockfighting Charges
BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts State Police arrested six men after a traffic stop in Worcester led to the discovery cockfighting materials.
Police stopped a van in Worcester Sunday morning at about 5 a.m. on Route 290 in Worcester and noticed a pile of loose cash under the driver's seat.
After getting consent to search the van, police said they located a large black trash bag in a hidden compartment under the van's floor. It contained several dead, skinned chickens, according to police.
Officers also found four boxes in the back of the van that contained live chickens that police said "had been subjected to procedures related to cockfighting, including having their lower bodies shaved and crests on their heads cut off."
There was also cash in the glove compartment, bringing the total in the van to $4,500.
Police added that razor blades, nail clippers, imitation spurs, wax and liquid tape to secure the spurs, lighters to heat the wax, and a spray bottle were also located inside the van.
Richard Diaz, Yamil Maldonado, Jose Vasquez, and Helpris Rodrigues of Lawrence, Jose Figueroa of Dorchester, and Damian Castillo of Nashua, N.H., were all arrested and charged with cruelty to animals, possession of fighting animals and conspiracy to commit a crime.
All six men were scheduled to be arraigned in Worcester District Court on Tuesday.
The surviving chickens were turned over the Worcester Animal Control, though state police said one of them had to be euthanized.
