Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s bust cockfighting pit on Tuesday

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) -- On Tuesday morning, Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies responded to a welfare check on the 3000 block of Highland Way in north Santa Cruz County. While in the area, deputies discovered an unrelated cockfighting pit, according to the Sheriff's Facebook page.

The Sheriff's Office wrote a search warrant immediately, received approval and then proceeded to spend a majority of the night searching the property.

Deputies and Animal Control Officers found ten firearms and approximately 200 roosters during the search, according to the Sheriff's Office. They reported that all of the roosters were mutilated for the attachment of cockfighting knives.

While they were on scene, deputies fed and gave water to the birds.

40-year-old Juan Buenrostro Ochoa was arrested in connection to the case, according to the Sheriff's Office.

This is an ongoing investigation and officers are asking anyone with further information about this case or similar illegal activities to contact Deputy Renwick at drew.renwick@santacruzcountyca.gov, or Deputy Eisner at Jeffrey.Eisner@santacruzcountyca.gov.