MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Miami-Dade police arrested a 52-year-old man Tuesday after authorities responded to a property in southwest Miami-Dade in reference to an anonymous complaint about several people there being involved in a cock fighting ring.
According to the suspect’s arrest report, officers arrived to the property at 21303 SW 213th Avenue Road just after 5:30 p.m. at which time several men began to run south away from the property.
Police said the men were ordered to stop several times and to come to the front of the gate.
According to the arrest report, the men continued to flee and a perimeter was established in the area.
Antonio Abraham Abreu, of Hialeah Gardens, was eventually spotted running through tall grass and was told “Stop resisting, you are under arrest,” the arrest report stated.
Police said Abreu continued to run but was eventually apprehended.
According to his arrest report, Abreu was holding a brown bag when he was detained, which contained multiple pieces of equipment used in the fighting between roosters.
“The defendant was in possession of 56 artificial spurs, which are used to enhance the roosters performance and lethality due to them being stronger and sharper than natural spurs,” the arrest report stated. “The defendant was also in possession of the medical tape and string used to attach the artificial spurs to the rooster. Additionally, the defendant was in possession of multiple tools used for the shaping, removal, and dulling of the roosters natural spurs to facilitate the attachment of the artificial spurs.”
Police said Abreu provided a statement to detectives, which was redacted from the publicly released report. They said he told them he wanted to speak with his attorney after being asked how much he rents the spurs and other equipment for.
Abreu faces charges of possession/selling equipment used in animals fights, tampering with physical evidence and resisting an officer without violence.
Police said the rooster fighting equipment was impounded as evidence.
“I applaud Miami-Dade police for responding and making an arrest because staged animal fighting is a form of malicious cruelty,” Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, said in a statement Wednesday. “Cockfighting is not only barbaric, it is bound up with illegal gambling, narcotics trafficking, and other criminal activities. Cockfighters need to understand that when they decide to violate our anti-cruelty laws, there can be life-changing consequences.”
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