Three men charged with animal fighting after roosters found in truck

VIRGINIA -- Three men are facing charges related to animal fighting after state police discovered a half-dozen roosters in their truck, which was stalled on Interstate 81 in Botetourt County.

Cole Allen McDaniel and Douglas Allen McDaniel of Luray and Charles Brett Dearing of Elkton were arrested Sunday and charged with possessing animals for the purposes of fighting, according to online court records.

A search warrant filed Monday in Botetourt County Circuit Court said Dearing’s 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe stopped on the interstate after its battery died near the 158.7 mile marker.

 

 

Virginia State Trooper R.F. Jarrell summoned an emergency vehicle to give them a jump, but while Jarrell was waiting by the truck “he heard noises which sounded like chickens or roosters,” the warrant said.

Dearing, 38, showed Jarrell the six roosters he had in the vehicle and told the trooper he was returning from a gamecock show in London, Kentucky, the warrant said.

While searching Dearing and the McDaniels, investigators “discovered large amounts of cash” as well as cards “which appeared to be a gamecock fighting schedule, reflecting dates, times, entry fees and different types of fighting techniques.”

According to the search warrant’s return, police seized from the vehicle a .38-caliber revolver, bullets, animal feed, a 10-dollar bill, a T-shirt, a perch and numerous plastic containers of Aminoplex, worm capsules, cinnamon sugar and witch hazel.

Cole McDaniel was also charged that day with misdemeanor marijuana possession, online court records showed.

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller declined to discuss the arrests because she said the investigation is ongoing.

Botetourt County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jill Deegan, who is prosecuting the three men, is a member of the Virginia Animal Gaming Taskforce. Deegan said Wednesday she couldn’t go into detail about the case but said the birds, who are now in the care of Botetourt County Animal Control, “appeared to be relatively healthy.”

The three men are slated to be arraigned in Botetourt County General District Court in February. A separate hearing will be held to determine whether they can regain custody of the roosters.

“If they don’t seek custody, or if we win, the birds will be forfeited to Botetourt,” Deegan said. “It can be difficult deciding what to do with fighting gamecock.

“We try not to euthanize. Our goal will be to find someplace where they can peacefully live out their lives.”

Possessing fighting animals in Virginia is a Class 6 felony that can bring between one and five years in prison and up to a $2,500 fine.

(Roanoke.com - Dec 23, 2015)