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South LA Man, 52, To Be Charged With Cockfighting

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Jul 2, 2008 4:29 pm US/Pacific

South LA Man, 52, To Be Charged With Cockfighting

LOS ANGELES

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: A South LA man is accused of running an illegal cockfighting ring out of his home.
CBS

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Israel Ramirez, a 52-year-old South Los Angeles man, will be arraigned Thursday on charges that he ran an illegal cockfighting ring out of his home.

Ramirez was arrested Tuesday.

He is being held in lieu of $70,000 bail.

Ramirez is charged with one felony count of cockfighting, two felony counts of animal cruelty as well as misdemeanor counts of possession of cockfighting paraphernalia and possession of birds with the intent to fight.

The D.A.'s office says police were tipped off to a cock fight in progress at the suspect's home. About 30 participants ran from the scene when police arrived, but 10 spectators were arrested along with Ramirez, who has a prior misdemeanor conviction for cockfighting.

He allegedly told police he held cockfights at his home about once a month, and charged spectators $20.

Officers seized about 50 roosters, all but one of which had their combs, wattles and spurs removed for fighting purposes, prosecutors said.

Officers also allegedly found a blood-spattered pit where the birds fought, according to prosecutors.

One dead rooster was found, along with two injured birds that had to be
euthanized, officials said.

Ramirez faces up to five years in state prison if convicted of all charges.