Carter Co. Sheriff busts second cockfight within a year
CARTER COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – On Saturday April 20, Carter County Sheriff’s Office busted a cockfight after acting on a tip. One arrest has been made, according to Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) and Animal Wellness Action advocacy groups.
SHARK and Animal Wellness Action advocacy groups believe the whole cast of characters must be apprehended to deter rampant cockfighting in the Sooner State.
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According to the advocacy groups on Saturday, deputies witnessed numerous vehicles fleeing the scene through a wooded area outside the city limits, engaged in a high-speed highway pursuit with Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) helping with a felony stop, followed by one arrest. At least 100 fighting birds were reported at the fighting venue and remain on site. SHARK and Animal Wellness Action believe the birds should be seized, given that it is a felony to possess animals for fighting under Oklahoma law.
The advocacy group Animal Wellness Action confirmed Gustavo Barcenas of Gainesville, Texas, was arrested, but included in it’s reaction of the arrest that Carter County District Attorney’s Office released him on $1,000 bond and plan to reduce his felony charging of “eluding” an officer to a misdemeanor charge.
“We’re glad to see that Carter County Sheriff’s Office deputies are doing an excellent job busting criminal cockfighting,” said Kevin Chambers, Oklahoma state director for Animal Wellness Action. “But it’s disappointing to see these felony charges being summarily lowered to modest fines. That kind of downgrading of penalties only emboldens cockfighters to keep flouting the rule of law. It’s just a cost of doing business for them, just like meager penalties are no deterrent to narcotics traffickers who make big money breaking the law.
Currently, the case is still under investigation.
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