PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office filed a direct complaint against 60-year-old Victor Espinoza, accusing him of cockfighting.
Court paperwork alleges Glendale police officers were executing an armed robbery and aggravated assault on April 18 when they discovered more than 70 hens and roosters on a property near 5th Avenue and Buckeye Road in Phoenix.
Investigators said many of the birds had obvious signs of fighting injuries, and there was paraphernalia of cockfighting, including a large trophy and drugs used to make the chickens more vicious and aggressive.
NEW: While on a different search warrant, Police discovered a cockfighting ring inside a Phoenix home. More than 70 roosters were found on property, some already dead. The rest were euthanized by the Arizona Humane Society.@abc15 pic.twitter.com/qpFiEdw74x
— Ford Hatchett (@FordHatchett) April 24, 2025
Investigators noted that at least one of the roosters had numerous staples in its chest.
Paperwork says detectives located six dead roosters and 65 others still alive, though all of the birds had to be euthanized by the Arizona Humane Society because trained fighting birds are too aggressive to be reintegrated into a sanctuary or other life.
