Police arrest 5 accused in Miami-Dade cockfighting operation

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade police arrested five men Thursday involved in cockfighting after an illegal dumping investigation in the county’s Horse Country area turned up roosters, cages and fighting rings on a property, arrest reports state.

The property in question is in the 6700 block of Southwest 122nd Avenue.

Police said illegal dumping investigators serving a search warrant found “numerous” caged roosters and training rings throughout the property.

They said they also found cockfighting paraphernalia including “syringes, vials containing medication that is consistent with the preparation process of fighting roosters for gaming purposes, along with several ‘agitators’ used to excite the roosters to engage them in preparation to train and/or fight.”

The following men are facing charges:

• Maykel Barroso Montero, 47, of Miami

• Carlos Bienvenido Cruz, 75, of southwest Miami-Dade

• Alejandro Montero Morales, 35, of southwest Miami-Dade

• Epifanio Puentes Suarez, 71, of southwest Miami-Dade

• Omar Ucio Izquierdo, 67, of southwest Miami-Dade

Some roosters were deplumed, police said.

Authorities said some of the men were already on the property, while Montero Morales and Barroso Montero showed up with two blue chicken carriers while police were there, leading to their arrests.

Cruz, police said, told investigators he paid a woman named “Shirley” $500 per month to rent space on the property, where he raises roosters and hens.

He claimed, a report states, that he puts the roosters “into the training ring to exercise them and keep them in good health.”

Barroso Montero also mentioned paying “Shirley” $500 monthly according to police.

Puentes Suarez said he paid $475 and also lives on the property, according to an arrest report.

“Ucio Izquierdo advised that he comes to the property daily to feed and give water to the animals that belong to his son within the sub-section where he was located,” the report states.

The men are all facing various felony and misdemeanor charges related to animal fighting and animal cruelty, according to the arrest reports.