Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Ceres Man Arrested for Running Cockfighting Business
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 4 years ago on
December 16, 2019

Share

Law enforcement officers arrested a Ceres man Monday morning for being involved in the illegal blood sport of cockfighting.
The arrest of Joseph D. Sanford, 72, came after his federal grand jury indictment last Thursday. He will be arraigned at the federal courthouse in Fresno on Monday afternoon.


Listen to this article:


Sanford is charged with conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act, illegal possession of roosters for the purpose of fighting, and unlawfully selling roosters for an animal fighting venture. The indictment seeks the forfeiture of thousands of game fowl at his business, Joe Sanford Gamefarm.

Gamecocks Sold to Undercover Officer

Following the undercover purchase of a trio of fighting birds, law enforcement officers searched the gamefarm and found a large cockfighting enterprise consisting of 2,956 game fowl, according to court documents. It is alleged that Sanford also fights his own roosters.
The indictment further alleges that Sanford acquired and maintained medical equipment, such as scalpels, syringes, thermometers, and medications for conditioning roosters and surgically altering them by removing their wattles, combs, spurs and other body parts.

What Is Cockfighting?

Cockfighting — which involves illegal gambling —is against the law in the United States. But the fighting birds, which are called gamecocks, are bred in the Central Valley and Southern California. Gamecocks are also brought to the state from Mexico, where cockfighting is legal. Cockfights are often held in the rural areas of the Central Valley and Southern California.
These roosters are bred to kill. Their combs and wattles frequently are surgically removed. The bird’s natural spurs are also removed and, right before a match, replaced with 3-inch sharp metal talons.
A dozen federal and local agencies combined to conduct the investigation that led to Sanford’s arrest.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
 

DON'T MISS

Ex-Correctional Officer at Women’s Prison in California Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Inmates

DON'T MISS

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Draw Nearly 5 Million Viewers for Second-Round NCAA Win

DON'T MISS

Canadian School Boards Sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta for Disrupting Students’ Education

DON'T MISS

California Law Enforcement Agencies Obstruct Transparency Efforts in Use-of-Force Cases

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Tackles Animal Overpopulation with New Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program

DON'T MISS

No Police Charges for Taylor Swift’s Dad Over Paparazzi Incident in Sydney

DON'T MISS

Biden Administration to Lend $1.5B to Restart Michigan Nuclear Power Plant, a First in the US

DON'T MISS

Tonight’s Biden Fundraiser With Obama and Clinton Already Nets a Record $25 Million

DON'T MISS

Supermom Carmi Is Ready to Be Embraced by Her Forever Family

DON'T MISS

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82

No data was found

Rockin’ Out or Laughing, the Valley Has Its Pick of Weekend Events

1 hour ago

Ex-Correctional Officer at Women’s Prison in California Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Inmates

4 hours ago

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Draw Nearly 5 Million Viewers for Second-Round NCAA Win

4 hours ago

Canadian School Boards Sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta for Disrupting Students’ Education

4 hours ago

California Law Enforcement Agencies Obstruct Transparency Efforts in Use-of-Force Cases

4 hours ago

Fresno County Tackles Animal Overpopulation with New Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program

5 hours ago

Fallen Crypto Mogul Sam Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

5 hours ago

When Newsom Gives His State of the State, He Should Be Candid About California’s Economy

5 hours ago

No Police Charges for Taylor Swift’s Dad Over Paparazzi Incident in Sydney

5 hours ago

Biden Administration to Lend $1.5B to Restart Michigan Nuclear Power Plant, a First in the US

6 hours ago

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

The same consulting firm Fresno Unified paid $40,000 to conduct community listening sessions before its superintendent hire has provided coa...

59 seconds ago

1 min ago

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

32 mins ago

Biden’s Fundraiser with Obama and Clinton Nets a Record $25 Million, His Campaign Says

45 mins ago

Fresno Unified’s Self-Protection Racket Is Hurting Our Kids

1 hour ago

Rockin’ Out or Laughing, the Valley Has Its Pick of Weekend Events

4 hours ago

Ex-Correctional Officer at Women’s Prison in California Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Inmates

4 hours ago

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Draw Nearly 5 Million Viewers for Second-Round NCAA Win

4 hours ago

Canadian School Boards Sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta for Disrupting Students’ Education

4 hours ago

California Law Enforcement Agencies Obstruct Transparency Efforts in Use-of-Force Cases

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend