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At the time of the bust, police and animal welfare officials allegedly rescued more than 400 roosters, hens, and chicks from being pressed into the bloodsport.
About half of the animals were deemed too aggressive and euthanized, according to an archived Daily Hampshire Gazette article.
Miguel Rodriguez, 59, of Holyoke issued a guilty plea in Northampton District Court on Thursday, Feb. 18, to the charges of possessing and training animals for fighting along with animal cruelty, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office said.
Co-defendants Salvador Cruz and John Mercado previously entered not guilty pleas and are slated to be back in court for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 26, the DA said.
Cockfighting is when two roosters, sometimes with razors tied to their feet, are placed in a ring and forced to fight to the death or until one is too injured to fight. Roosters are bred and trained for the fatal matches.
The case against Rodriguez stems from a longtime animal cruelty investigation by the Northampton Police that began in 2018.
By pleading guilty, Rodriguez said that he raised roosters for the purpose of fighting at Ravenwold Greenhouses on Florence Road in Florence where it appears Rodriguez and cohorts were renting a shed. The roosters were being mistreated, the DA said, and the owners of Ravenwold appear not to have been aware of the illegal activity going on at their business.
Judge Jacklyn Connly sentenced Rodriguez to two years of probation with the first six months served under home arrest. While on probation, Rodriguez will not be allowed to possess any animals or animal fighting paraphernalia or any other paraphernalia of pet ownership. He must also complete 100 hours of community service and stay away from Ravenwold Greenhouses, the DA said.
Even though the DA had asked the judge to sentence Rodriguez to 6 months in jail followed by two years of probation, prosecuting attorney Assistant DA Andrew Covington, said he was satisfied with the outcome.
“The Commonwealth would like to thank the animal control officers involved in this case, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), and the Northampton Police Department for their thorough investigation,” Covington said."The Commonwealth certainly respects the Court’s decision on sentencing in this matter, and is pleased the case ended with felony convictions, which were clearly warranted.”
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