BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Thursday, two Mexican nationals living in Bakersfield were charged by a grand jury in separate indictments with entering roosters into cockfights.
According to court documents, Jorge Calderon-Campos, 41, and Horacio Ortega-Martinez, 35, communicated about several cockfights in February, including one on Feb. 12 to which officials said Calderon-Campos went and 15 roosters fought for a $5,000 purse.
In April, law enforcement served a search warrant at Ortega-Martinez’s house and said they found about 250 roosters, about 250 “gaffs”– steel blades that are tied to the birds’ legs — training mitts commonly used for training and fighting roosters, and antibiotics, vitamins and supplements used to breed and train roosters to fight.
Calderon-Campos and Ortega-Martinez were arrested on April 26. Six other Kern County residents were also arrested and charged with drug trafficking offenses in a separate indictment.
Calderon-Campos and Ortega-Martinez face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
