A grand jury indicted 48 people in a Galloway Township cockfighting ring this week.
A large group was found when Police Department's Humane Law Enforcement Unit entered the South Breman Avenue property with a warrant last March. Many tried to flee.
An investigation by Detective Mark Kienzle led to the property after he found electronic invitations to an illegally organized cockfight event.
Galloway Township police along with the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and other law enforcement agencies arrived to find an elaborate cockfighting operation with a ring, spectator-style seating and numerous cockfighting "kits," police said. More than $37,000 in cash was seized.
About 50 roosters were found in crates, storage boxes and bags in and around the arena. They were all in various degrees of health. Four dogs were seized, including three who were living in an outdoor shed in what police described as inhumane conditions.
One of the dogs required emergency, life-saving surgery
Jose Madera, 33, was arrested and charged with numerous animal cruelty offenses, along with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, destruction of evidence and resisting arrest.
Madera — was charged with 111 counts — pleaded guilty to the cockfighting charge in August. He also admitted to several counts of animal cruelty, including the maiming and mutilation of roosters.
Madera faces 364 days in the Atlantic County Justice Facility. The state is also requesting five years' probation.
An attendee, Robert Soto, also previously pleaded guilty.
The 48 indicted are:
Stephanie Kaneshiro, 34, of Galloway Township; Guillermo Polanco, 69, of Egg Harbor Township; Javier Santos-Gonzales, 33, Pleasantville; Berdover Diaz, 46, of Hammonton, and Juan Elias Pena-Duran, 34, Ramon Rosa Jr., 58, of Hamilton Township.
Josue Arroyo, 52; Joseph Cubi-Camacho, 27; Walter Jones, 53; Steven Sotnychuk, 56, Vineland, and Anthony Lugo, 41 of Vineland; Irving Perez, 34, of Millville and Angel Ocasio, 41, of Bridgeton.
Guillermo Celada, 64; Domingo Duran-Montesino, 42; Yomery Pichardo-Perez 31; Luis Rivera-Campos 37; Miquel Rodriguez, 55; Daniel Vargas-Baez, 36, and Victor Rodriguez Jr., 52, of Camden.
Luiggi Jiminez-Diaz, 31; Felix Medina, 65, and Luis Roman, 63, of Trenton.
Arroyo Blanco, 41; Kenny Tejada-Torres, 24; Leowis Valerio-Jaquez, 41; Louis Vazquez, 41; Jose Valerio, 63, and Rudis Perez-Perez, 46, of Perth Amboy.
Luis Fernandez-Tavarez, 37, of North Bergen; Peter Rios, 51, of Lumberton; Peter Rios Jr., 28, of Blackwood, and Juan Perez, 41, of Pennsauken; and Lolitha Glenn, 52, and Jimmy Hadden, 51, of Greenwich; Miguel Torres, 61, of Columbus, and Juan Solino-Valerio, 38, of Elizabeth.
Patricia Acosta, 66; Juan Carlo Carrion-Cortes, 46; Rafael Hernandez, 70; Felipe Perez, 60; Jose Torres-Peralta, 46, and Pedro Rodriguez-Santiago, 49, of Philadelphia.
Alan Ramirez-Rodriguez, 30, of Allentown, Pa., Bienvenido Polanco, 61, of Tappan, N.Y., and Jason Gonzalez 45; and Rafael Quinones-Serrano, 52, Bristol, Pa., and Jose Quinones Jr., 52, of Warminster, Pa.
