Raid pre-empts Glenn County cockfight

Fifteen people were arrested Sunday after a cockfight was raided in a Glenn County orchard.

"It appears it was stopped before it even got started," Glenn County sheriff's Lt. Richard Warren said.

Deputies received multiple anonymous tips just after 7 a.m. Sunday about an unusual amount of traffic at the end of County Road 20, several miles southwest of Orland.

The competition was staged on private ranch land managed by Vanella Farms. Owner Bob Vanella told authorities he was "completely unaware" of the cockfighting, Warren said.

More than a dozen officers from the Sheriff's Office, the California Highway Patrol and the Willows and Orland police departments participated in the impromptu raid.

Dozens of participants scattered in every direction when authorities arrived. With help from a CHP helicopter, several suspects were captured miles away in almond orchards between County Roads C and D, Warren said.

"It's possible that there may have been some people that got away," Warren said.

It's unclear if Sunday's fight was an isolated incident or part of a larger cockfighting ring, Warren said.

All 15 suspects were charged with attending a cockfight and trespassing, both misdemeanors. Several suspects were also booked on suspicion of possession of fighting gamecocks, which can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony.

Dan Niblack, an animal control officer, said authorities seized a total of 23 birds, which are being held for evidence. None of the animals were hurt, but they had been bred for fighting, Niblack said.

Of the 15 people arrested, only two were still in custody Monday, Sgt. Jim Miranda confirmed. Arrested Sunday were:

• Francisco Fernando Sandoval, 39, of Marysville

• Jose Sibrian Duenas, 73, of Live Oak

• Enstaquio Lopez-Ramos, 61, of Live Oak

• Richard Manuel Ramos, 67, of Live Oak

• Hernenegildo Gomez-Rojas, 42, of Olivehurst

• Julian Diaz-Curiel, 60, of Live Oak

• Steven Streetman, 65, of Redding

• Refugio Rubio-Arias, 70, of Corning

• Alfonso Renee Ocampo, 28, of Orland

• Luis Angel Benitez, 38, of Redding

• Rutilo Aleman-Mundo, 50, of Corning

• Tranquilino Roman, 59, of Corning

• Raphael Trenando, 26, of Orland

• Valentin Angeles-Hernandez, 19, of Orland

• Alberto Mendoza-Barajas, 24, of Orland

Gomez-Rojas and Angeles-Hernandez are being held without bail by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The other 13 suspects were either cited or booked and released and are set to appear June 16 in Glenn County Superior Court.

Owners of fighting cocks arm the birds with leg-mounted metal blades, then force the birds to fight, sometimes to the death. All states except Louisiana ban the practice.

Warren called Sunday's arrests "unusual," but said the problem is not unique to Glenn County.

"We hear rumors about it sometimes," Warren said, "but, the problem is not any more significant here than it is anywhere else."

The case is still under investigation, Warren said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Glenn County Sheriff's Office at 934-6431.

Contact Rob Parsons at 934-6800 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.