Man arrested after rooster fighting ring discovered

A 54-year-old man was arrested Monday after a rooster fighting operation was found on his Rockland Key property.

Luis Blanco Jr. was charged with owning property used for animal fighting and owning equipment used for animal fighting.

The Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous tip that chickens were being illegally bred to fight at a residence on the 500 block of Park Drive. Detective Sgt. Linda Mixon and Detectives Antonio Guieb and Ken Fricke went to the border of the property and observed many caged roosters and chickens, a bloody fighting ring and a bait stick — a plush fake chicken head on a stick used to get roosters angry in the ring. Many of roosters were injured with their wattles and combs trimmed as is common when they are used for fighting.

A search warrant was filed and Detectives returned for a full search of the property. They found a total of 310 chickens on the property as well as a large assortment of items associated with fighting roosters such as spurs, scales, sewing needles, syringes, liquid drugs to treat infections, stop watches and bait sticks.

The Florida Keys Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also took part in the investigation.

An arrest warrant was issued for Blanco.

Blanco was booked into jail Monday.

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