JACKSONVILLE, Florida –
Eleven men are facing felony charges after Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office patrol officers and Vice Unit detectives dismantled an active rooster fighting operation on the city’s Westside.
On Saturday, January 24, 2026, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office District 6 patrol officers responded to a home on Jake Road following a neighbor’s complaint about suspected rooster fighting. When officers arrived, they found a fight actively underway in the backyard.
Police say a large group of people was gathered around the fighting pen, some holding cash and drinking alcohol, while a referee oversaw the fight. When the group realized law enforcement was on scene, several individuals attempted to flee.
Patrol officers initially detained seven men. A follow-up search by Narcotics and Vice Unit detectives uncovered four additional suspects hiding nearby, including three concealed in the rafters of a shed and one hiding beneath the bed of a camper.
The 11 men arrested were identified as Alejandro Gutierrez Garcia, Ariel Villavicencio Ruiz, Omar Bonet Suarez, Raydel Hernandez Lorenzo, Ariel Rivero Santana, Pablo Marrero Pena, Sergio Pupo Cespedes, Osvaldo Acosta, Hector Perez Gonzalez, Angel Sabater, and Damian Olivera. Authorities said four of the men are in the country illegally.
Vice detectives located extensive evidence of an organized rooster fighting ring, including dozens of metal fighting spurs, cages, deceased roosters, and $13,600 in cash.
Officers also discovered approximately 130 roosters on the property. Due to the way the birds were bred and trained for aggression, veterinarians determined they could not be safely rehabilitated and posed a significant avian disease risk. After consultation with Animal Control and Protective Services, the roosters were humanely euthanized.
“This is animal cruelty. These guys have turned peaceful animals into foot-tall killing machines for sport, and that’s unacceptable,” said JSO Vice Sgt. Guy Daniels. “These birds are plucked from the waist down, metal spurs are glued to their claws, and they’re thrown into a ring for a vicious fight to the death.”
Animal Control and Protective Services Chief Michael Bricker praised the coordinated response, saying, “When the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office dismantled a brutal cockfighting operation, they sent a clear message that cruelty will not be tolerated in Jacksonville. I’m grateful for their partnership and their commitment to stopping inhumane treatment of animals.”
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities say they intend to pursue full accountability for all involved. JSO also credited the neighbor who reported the activity, noting that the initial call was key to shutting down the operation.
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