More roosters taken from 2nd East Side home

More roosters seized in city

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By JOE GORMAN

jgorman@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

For the second time in less than a week, police and humane agents have served a search warrant as part of a broader investigation of cockfighting.

Members of the vice squad, Community Police Unit and Animal Charity served the warrant at a 1413 Forest View Drive home on the East Side on Wednesday.

Unlike a warrant served Dec. 15 at an Ives Street home where police found roosters, heroin and cocaine, the Forest View Drive homeowners were cited only for violating housing codes prohibiting farm animals in the city.

About 30 roosters were found in a makeshift coop covered with a tarp in the backyard. It had wooden floors with straw and portable heaters inside.

The birds were taken to Happy Trails animal sanctuary in Ravenna, as were the 45 birds seized in last week’s raid.

Detective Sgt. Pat Kelly said Wednesday’s warrant resulted from the warrant served last week. Humane agents also had received complaints about both houses and the homeowner on Forest View Drive is related to one of the two men arrested last week on Ives Street.

Also unlike last week, there were no signs the birds on Forest View Drive had been used in fighting yet. The birds seized on Ives Street had shaved legs, which is common for fighting birds because that is where razor blades are often attached to them when they fight.

Police Wednesday did find in the home several devices commonly used to protect the beaks of the birds when they are being trained.

Detective Sgt. Pat Kelly, head of the CPU, said the coop was one of the cleanest he has ever seen and far cleaner than the one officers encountered last week.

“This is like the Canfield Fair. That’s what it reminded me of,” Kelly said.

The birds put up quite a racket and had several police officers scrambling around the fenced-in yard to catch them. A couple flew high into nearby trees until they were coaxed down.

At a vacant house behind the one police were searching, officers also found a smaller chicken coop behind the garage as well as some straw.

The two men arrested last week at the Ives Street home, Rogelio Rojas, 28, who lists the home as his address, and Luis Rodriguez, 30, of Youngstown, both face drug charges and are expected to have preliminary hearings Friday in municipal court. Rojas is still in the Mahoning County jail, but Rodriguez was able to post his bond and is free.

Police and humane agents said animal cruelty charges are expected for Rojas and Rodriguez. The charges are misdemeanors that carry a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail.