Three people were arrested and nearly 500 birds were seized in Pahrump on Tuesday in connection with a cockfighting operation, according to authorities.
The Nye County Sheriff’s office said in a post on social media that the department executed two search warrants at separate locations in Pahrump involving an alleged cockfighting operation used for breeding and training birds for illegal fighting activities.
Police said three people were arrested is a result of the large-scale operation.
According to the sheriff’s office, Jorge Guzman Torres, who is in the United States on a permanent resident card, is facing 56 felony counts of owning a bird for the purpose of cockfighting, 56 felony counts of animal abuse, two felony counts of operating a residence for the purpose of cockfighting, one gross misdemeanor count of conspiracy to operate a residence for the purpose of cockfighting, 63 gross misdemeanor counts of possession of a gaff, a curved metal spike, and nine felony counts of possession of personal identifying information to establish a false identity or status.
Police also said Grisel Juarez Diaz, whose immigration status is pending, is facing 29 felony counts of owning a bird for the purpose of cockfighting, one felony count of maintaining a residence for the purpose of cockfighting, one gross misdemeanor count of conspiracy to operate a residence for the purpose of cockfighting, 29 felony counts of animal abuse and 63 gross misdemeanor counts of possession of a gaff.
Another, Ignacio Juarez Gomez, who is undocumented, is facing one felony count of operating a premises for the purpose of cockfighting, one felony count of owning a bird for the purpose of cockfighting, one gross misdemeanor count of conspiracy to operate a residence for the purpose of cockfighting, 20 gross misdemeanor counts of possession of a gaff, and one felony count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Authorities said items seized during the execution of the warrants included cockfighting implements, 11 firearms, 478 birds and more than $60,000 in cash.
