This is the second cockfighting ring Hillsborough deputies have discovered in less than a week.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY – Sheriff’s deputies have accused a Tampa man of running a cockfighting ring in Wimauma.

Orlando Rodriguez, 43, of 3005 La Familia Lane in Tampa, was charged Tuesday (March 1) with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, two counts of baiting, breeding, owning, or possessing animals and one count of owning equipment for animal fighting, according to the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say they received a complaint Tuesday (March 1) of shots being fired. When they arrived at the property, 5310 Ruth Morris Road in Wimauma, deputies say they saw Rodriguez hiding behind a large chicken coop at the rear of the property. They also saw “a large number of chickens,” some of which were fighting each other.

An Animal Control Officer arrived and said that it was a cockfighting training ring. Inside the ring were two roosters prepared for fighting/training. The roosters, deputies said, had had their chest and leg feathers removed and were wearing sparring gloves. A brown rooster lay dead inside the ring, which included a timer, weight scale and record book. A total of 107 fighting roosters were found in the chicken coop.

This is the second cockfighting ring deputies have found in Hillsborough. Just three days before, on Saturday (Feb. 27), deputies found a cockfighting ring in Lithia. When they arrived at that property, a dozen or so men scattered into the woods and surrounding neighborhoods.

Photographs of Rodriguez and 5310 Ruth Morris Road courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff.

For information on the Hillsborough sheriff, go to hcso.tampa.fl.us.

Hillsborough Sheriff | Wimauma | Cockfighting | Animal Cruelty | TB Reporter

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