Monterey County man accused of allowing cockfighting on property enters plea

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) A Monterey County man has pleaded no contest to felony animal cruelty and allowing his property to be used for cockfighting, according to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.

Esteban Ortiz was accused following an incident that happened in April of this year. Investigators responded to an anonymous 911 call from a person complaining about vehicles, foot traffic and loud noises coming from people and roosters in the 300 block of Harrison Road.

When deputies from the Monterey County Sheriff's Office arrived, they said they could hear roosters crowing from a shed at the back of the property, and when they went in through a barricaded door, they saw people jumping over fences and off the roof. Deputies said they left behind a cockfighting pit, 112 live roosters, 4 severely injured roosters, 7 dead roosters, 61 blades or gaffs attached to the roosters' legs, an unregistered gun and meth.

Ortiz was the owner of the property, and he was charged with animal cruelty, cockfighting violations and violation of the shelter in place order.

Two other people were arrested for being spectators at a cockfight, possession of meth and violation of the shelter in place order. One of them told investigators that at least 100 people had been at the fight before deputies got there.

Ortiz is set to be sentenced on Feb. 4. He is expected to be placed on two years of felony probation, serve up to 90 days in jail, pay $1,553.20 in restitution to the SPCA, agree to random property checks by the SPCA and complete an animal abuse counseling course.