Eleven men arrested in Jacksonville after alleged cockfighting event on Jake Road, 130 roosters euthanized

What investigators say happened

Eleven men are facing felony charges after Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officers and vice detectives disrupted what authorities described as an active cockfighting operation at a Northside property on Jake Road near Yellow Bluff Road. The incident unfolded on Saturday, January 24, 2026, after a neighbor reported suspected rooster fighting at the location.

When officers arrived, investigators said they found multiple people gathered around a fighting area in the backyard while a fight was underway. Authorities reported that some individuals were holding cash and drinking alcohol, and that a referee was overseeing the bout.

Arrests and search of the property

Police said people ran when officers attempted to detain them. Seven men were apprehended initially. A subsequent search by narcotics and vice detectives led to four additional arrests, bringing the total to 11.

Authorities reported that three of the additional suspects were found hiding in a shed, while another was located under a bed inside a camper on the property.

Evidence recovered and animal seizure

Investigators said the scene contained indicators of an established cockfighting setup, including fighting pens, cages, and dead roosters. Police also reported seizing $13,600 in cash.

Authorities said approximately 130 roosters were found at the property. After evaluation and consultation, the roosters were euthanized. Officials stated that many of the birds could not be rehabilitated because they had been raised and conditioned for fighting behavior, and cited concerns that some carried avian diseases.

Defendants identified

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office identified the arrested men as:

• Alejandro Gutierrez Garcia, 35
• Ariel Villavicencio Ruiz, 49
• Omar Bonet Suarez, 51
• Raydel Hernandez Lorenzo, 46
• Ariel Rivero Santana, 53
• Pablo Marrero Pena, 37
• Sergio Pupo Cespedes, 36
• Osvaldo Acosta, 61
• Hector Perez Gonzalez, 34
• Angel Sabater Mora, 42
• Damian Garcia Olivera, 50

Police stated that four of the defendants were in the United States illegally.

How cases like this proceed

The felony cases are expected to move through the court system in the coming weeks, where prosecutors must prove the elements of the alleged offenses. Charges and immigration allegations are subject to court review, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Authorities described the investigation as centered on animal cruelty allegations tied to organized fighting activity and gambling indicators, including cash at the scene.

Officials said the sheriff’s office worked with local animal control personnel during the response and the handling of the animals recovered from the property.