Four Arrested; 34 Live Birds Seized in Louisiana Animal-Fighting Bust
Animal Wellness Action today applauded the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office for dismantling an illegal cockfighting operation at a residence on West Martha’s Vineyard Road, calling the case yet another example of the widespread nature of organized animal fighting in the South.
According to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office (APSO), deputies responded to the home on November 16 after receiving reports of an active cockfight. When officers arrived, several individuals attempted to flee into the residence. Deputies entered and discovered 34 caged roosters, along with two dead birds showing injuries consistent with organized cockfighting.
Investigators found wraps used to attach knives or gaffs to the birds’ legs and other evidence of a structured fighting enterprise. Thanksgiving weekend traditionally marks the start of the cockfighting season, when illegal operators often stage major events and move birds through underground networks, making this enforcement action especially timely.
Jose Perez, 25; Bryan Saldana, 28; Filiberto Banda-Pena, 39; and Oscar Fregaso-Solorzano, 33, were taken into custody inside the home and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail. Each of the men faces one count of organized cockfighting. Perez, identified as the homeowner and owner of the birds, faces an additional 36 counts of possession of cockfighting animals.
“This case underscores that cockfighting is not some relic of the past — it is a criminal industry that persists across Louisiana and the broader region,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “We commend the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office for responding swiftly, seizing the birds, and holding the perpetrators accountable. Cockfighting is tied to illegal gambling, weapons offenses, narcotics activity, and other forms of organized crime. Every bust like this makes communities safer.”
Pacelle noted that, despite clear federal and state prohibitions, cockfighting networks continue to operate underground, moving fighting birds across state borders and even overseas. He stressed that Louisiana is central to the national push for reform, with U.S. Sen. John Kennedy serving as the lead author of the bipartisan FIGHT Act (H.R. 3946/S. 1454) and Sen. Bill Cassidy joining as a cosponsor. The measure would give law enforcement stronger tools by banning the shipment of fighting birds through the U.S. mail, prohibiting online gambling tied to cockfights, and expanding forfeiture authority for property used in animal-fighting ventures. More than 1,000 law enforcement agencies across the country have endorsed the bill.
“Every raided cockfighting venue is a crime scene — and shutting them down protects animals and communities alike,” Pacelle added.
Authorities report that the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges may be forthcoming.
A fact sheet on the FIGHT Act can be found here.
