![\"Roosters](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.animals24-7.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Picsart_25-05-06_19-53-47-553-e1746587753718.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n(Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n TOPEKA, Kansas;\u00a0 GULFPORT, Mississippi;\u00a0 MOSES LAKE, Washington;\u00a0 \u00a0TOPEKA, Kansas<\/strong>\u2013\u2013A rarely equaled three-day flurry of cockfighting busts involving the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement [ICE] division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security immediately followed publication of the May 1,\u00a0 2025 ANIMALS 24-7<\/strong> article Will Trump administration ICE cockfighters? ICE busts two in first 100 days<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0 <\/strong>subheaded \u201cPush to deport illegal alien criminals so far appears to bust cockfighters mostly by accident.<\/a>\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n ANIMALS 24-7<\/strong> further pointed out on May 1,\u00a0 2025 that U.S. federal agencies during the first 100 days of the Donald Trump administration had busted fewer cockfights and arrested far fewer alleged cockfighters than during the first 100 days of 2024,\u00a0 under the Joe Biden administration,\u00a0 and that despite the relative ease of catching illegal alien criminals at cockfights,\u00a0 ICE had contributed information to just two arrests.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n That changed abruptly on May 1,\u00a0 beginning about 19 hours after the ANIMALS 24-7 <\/strong>article was posted late on April 30,\u00a0 whether by coincidence or consequence of officials becoming embarrassed.<\/p>\n In Topeka,\u00a0 Kansas,\u00a0 reported Tim Hrenchir for the Topeka Capital-Journal<\/em>,\u00a0 \u201cPolice arrested a man and seized 28 animals, \u00a0including an unspecified number of roosters suspected of being used in cockfighting.<\/p>\n \u201cIsrael Hernandez-Zavala, \u00a040, \u00a0was booked into the Shawnee County Jail on multiple charges including animal cruelty, \u00a0drug offenses, \u00a0and weapons violations.<\/p>\n \u201cPolice found drugs,\u00a0 guns,\u00a0 and evidence of animal cruelty while executing a search warrant.\u201d<\/p>\n (Article continues below photo.)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n (ICE photo)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n That was just the warm-up act.\u00a0 On May 3,\u00a0 2025,\u00a0 ICE,\u00a0 \u201cjointly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other partners,\u201d\u00a0 announced a Department of Homeland Security media release, \u00a0\u201cexecuted search warrants involving illegal immigration, \u00a0cockfighting and other criminal activity in South Mississippi,\u201d\u00a0 specifically in Lizana, \u00a0an unincorporated former logging community just north of Gulfport.<\/p>\n The \u201cother partners\u201d in the raid were identified as \u201cICE Enforcement & Removal Operations, \u00a0Harrison County Sheriff\u2019s Office, \u00a0U.S. Customs & Border Protection, \u00a0the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, \u00a0and the FBI.<\/p>\n \u201cICE Gulfport special agents and deportation officers are in the process of positively identifying all encountered individuals, \u00a0as well as checking immigration records,\u201d\u00a0 the media release said.<\/p>\n Impounded gamecock.\u00a0 (ICE photo)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The media release did not actually say much about the cockfight that was raided,\u00a0 but \u201cAuthorities reported that more than two dozen people were gathered in a barn surrounding a makeshift fighting arena. \u00a0The cockfighting coliseum was apparently complete with multiple rows of seats for spectators and lined with plexiglass,\u201d\u00a0 updated Ben Milam of Supertalk Mississippi.<\/p>\n Biloxi Sun Herald<\/em> investigative reporter Margaret Baker finally dug up the details,\u00a0 published on May 6, 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cAccording to the charging documents,\u201d\u00a0 wrote Baker,\u00a0 \u201cJames Joseph Riviere Jr. owned the property on Northup Cuevas Road, \u00a0and he and others who lived there, \u00a0namely Alvin Smith III and Herbert Kasey Smith, \u00a0hosted deadly cockfighting matches every other Saturday.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Riviere and the Smiths were charged with Animal Welfare Act violations and conspiracy,\u00a0 along with \u201cRachel Reddoch, \u00a0identified in the charging documents as a cashier who accepted the payments to attend and participate in the cockfights, \u00a0and the referee for the fights, identified as Louis Summers Jr.,\u201d\u00a0 Baker continued.<\/p>\n Also charged,\u00a0 Baker recounted,\u00a0 were \u201cTammie Cuevas, \u00a0who identified herself to federal authorities as the property owner\u2019s sister-in-law, \u00a0who worked the concession stand during the fights,\u201d\u00a0 and \u201cShane Cuevas: an out-of-state man who admitted having previous convictions related to cockfighting.\u201d<\/p>\n Shane Cuevas allegedly \u201ctold authorities he gave his brother money to enter three gamecocks into a fight.\u00a0 One was found dead in the back of his truck.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Other arrestees,\u00a0 Baker said,\u00a0 included \u201cJames Benjamin Bice and Jackie Lamar Bice,\u201d\u00a0 who allegedly brought 12 gamecocks from Louisiana \u201cto participate in the fights for $2,500.\u201d<\/p>\n Mentioned Baker,\u00a0 \u201cIn a post-arrest interview, Jackie Bice told authorities he had been fighting gamecocks for 60 years, the charging document says.\u201d<\/p>\n A couple from Louisiana,\u00a0 Brett Lester and Loraine Violet Tai, \u00a0\u201cadmitted bringing roosters to Mississippi to fight,\u201d\u00a0 Baker said.\u00a0 \u201cTai admitted helping Lester on his farm in Louisiana, where he had about 100 chickens. \u00a0On the night of the raid, Tai had $4,000 in cash and admitted bringing the money to place bets.\u201d<\/p>\n A suspect named Victor Fricke also \u201cbrought a rooster to take part in a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n But the ICE cream on the cake for Homeland Security Enforcement & Removal Operations was the apprehension of suspected Mexican nationals Alan Alexis Mondragon Talavera and Oscar De Leon Martinez.<\/p>\n Talavera \u201cpaid to attend the cockfights,\u201d\u00a0 Baker reported,\u00a0 and \u201cattempted to run from authorities when they raided the property.\u201d<\/p>\n Martinez was \u201ccharged with an immigration violation for illegal reentry and an additional charge for violating the Animal Welfare Act. \u00a0Authorities found a rooster he brought to take part in a fight in his trailer on the property,\u201d\u00a0 Baker finished.<\/p>\n The Department of Homeland Security media release indicated that the Lizana raid was the result of a longterm undercover investigation<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Six more suspects were jailed later on May 3,\u00a0 2025,\u00a0 \u201cfollowing the bust of a cockfighting operation in Moses Lake,\u00a0 Grant County,\u00a0 Washington,\u201d\u00a0 reported KXRX radio,\u00a0 of Pasco,\u00a0 Washington.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Moses Lake Police Department says evidence of both illegal drugs and animal fighting was discovered,\u201d\u00a0 KXRX said.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the servicing of the warrant, \u00a0investigators reportedly seized heroin and methamphetamine, \u00a0six firearms, \u00a0over $30,000 in cash, \u00a0and 71 roosters illegally-outfitted for fighting,\u201d\u00a0 KXRX continued.<\/p>\n Variously charged with illegal gambling, \u00a0animal fighting, \u00a0possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, \u00a0and unlawful possession of a firearm were Moses Lake residents Ricardo Ante-Rodriguez,\u00a0 35; \u00a0Victor Noriega,\u00a0 45; \u00a0Hilda Matus,\u00a0 51; \u00a0Reynalda Noriega-Chavez,\u00a0 71; \u00a0and Pedro Noriega, 75, \u00a0along with Blas Ante-Rodriguez of Yakima,\u00a0 42.<\/p>\n Cockfighting gaffs.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n May 3,\u00a0 2025 concluded with the U.S. Customs & Border Protection interception of 10 pairs of leather cock spur covers and 10 cockfighting knife sheaths at the Cincinnati Port of Entry.<\/p>\n \u201cThe shipment, \u00a0headed to a residence in Corsica, \u00a0Texas, was manifested as \u201c20 articles for birds,\u201d\u00a0 detailed the Northern Kentucky Tribune<\/em>,\u00a0 of Covington,\u00a0 Kentucky.<\/p>\n Hot tip for ICE,\u00a0 if ICE agents are indeed reading ANIMALS 24-7:<\/strong>\u00a0 even more illegal alien criminals could be apprehended at steer-tailing competitions,\u00a0 if the many blatant acts of cruelty repeatedly documented by Showing Animals Respect & Kindness were to be prosecuted.<\/p>\nCoincidence or consequence?\u00a0 Who knows,\u00a0 who cares?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nBusts begin in Topeka<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nICE team SWATS Lizana,\u00a0 Mississippi<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nTwo dozen suspects in a barn<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nCashier & concessionaire<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nA pair & a couple from Louisiana<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nTwo alleged Mexican nationals nabbed<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nHoly Moses!<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201c20 articles for birds\u201d<\/h2>\n