Unincorporated Morgan Hill – Close to 200 illegal gamecocks were found Tuesday and Wednesday on a property west of Morgan Hill on Sycamore Avenue near the intersection of Sunnyside Avenue.
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Deputy Rich Rutman said four adults were arrested on charges of alleged owning, maintaining and caring for cockfighting roosters. Violeta Arreola, 42, and Jonnhy Reylai, 49, were arrested on the property Tuesday afternoon. Rutman said though he has no documentation showing whether Arreola rents or owns the property, she repeatedly told deputies, “This is my property.”
Reylai told deputies he brings the birds from the Philippines.
Later that evening, Rutman said, Rafael Robledo, 34, and Rene Vargas, 27, came onto the property, presumably because they were boarding their birds there.
“Apparently, Ms. Arreola was renting space to a bunch of different people; she is the proprietor, and at least most of the birds belong to other people.”
Rutman said deputies responded to the property after Animal Control officers on the property to do a welfare check on livestock on the property after a call from someone in the area. Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Serg Palanov said the people on the scene didn’t speak English and were “hostile,” so deputies were called.
“There were gamecocks just wandering around, and hundreds and hundreds of birds,” he said. “Not all of them were illegal, but close to 200 of them were.”
The birds that weren’t wandering freely were contained in a shed made of scrap wood and corrugated metal, stitched together from spare parts. The shed, which is uphill from a small home, is very well hidden, Rutman said.
“In 25 years, that was the best I’ve ever seen,” he said.
The shed was full of the noise of the birds, the wings rustling, crowing; the birds were clean and well-maintained, individually penned with spurs cut off, combs and wattles cut short.
“These kinds of birds – maybe not these birds specifically – can be extremely expensive, so they are usually well taken care of,” Rutman said.
Deputies also found “boxing gloves,” which are small sacks which cover the birds’ talons until they are ready for the birds to fight, vitamin B1 and syringes. The also found an arena used for fights, as well as a “burn barrel” with bird bones in it. Rutman said birds injured during the fights are thrown alive into the barrel, which is kept flaming. Dead birds are also tossed in.
Deputies several times visited another property on Sycamore Avenue, this one near the intersection of Armsby Lane, to investigate reports of cock fighting. Several times this year, deputies arrived as suspects were fleeing. In May, six men were arrested on charges of alleged watching an illegal cockfight. When deputies searched the property, not only gamecocks were found, but also equipment, including metal spurs to attach to the birds.
“It goes in spurts, it’s definitely a problem,” Palanov said. “It is not humane, it is very cruel. Unfortunately, unless we receive calls about it, it continues to happen.”
Drugs and gambling are a big part of cockfighting, according to police, with participants betting on the outcome. The birds are typically placed in a makeshift ring with beaks to the ground until the signal to start is given, then they are released. The fight is usually to the death; many times both birds die, if not during the fight then afterward, from injuries.
Cockfighting is a misdemeanor in California and has been against the law since 1905.
Staff Writer Emily Alpert contributed to this story.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at md****@mo*************.com.
