Three in rooster investigation make court appearances

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Three men who face charges after two separate search warrants were served within a week investigating cockfighting made their court appearances Friday.

Rogelio Rojas Sr., 48, of Forest View Drive, pleaded not guilty through an interpreter to a charge of having farm animals within city limits, a misdemeanor.

Also through the interpreter, Rojas Sr. told Judge Elizabeth Kobly he thought having roosters in the city was legal and that city officials gave him the go-ahead after visiting his property several times.

Rojas Sr. was cited after police and humane agents served a search warrant at his home Wednesday afternoon. Found at the home were 30 roosters and devices used to train them to fight. Police, however, found no evidence those roosters had been or were currently being used to fight.

On Dec. 15, police and humane agents served a warrant at the Ives Street home of Rojas’ son, Rogelio Rojas Jr., 28, and arrested him and Luis Rodriguez, 30, of Youngstown, on drug charges after police found heroin and cocaine there.

Forty-five roosters were found at that home and several of those birds showed signs that they had been fighting. Steroids and razors were also found at the home.

Rojas Jr., who is in the Mahoning County jail after failing to post bond on his possession of heroin charge, and Rodriguez, who is free on bail on his possession of cocaine charge, both waived preliminary hearings Friday and their cases are now being bound over to a county grand jury.

The birds at both homes were taken to the Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary in Ravenna.