Several people, including a member of the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, are facing criminal charges relating to illegal cockfighting.
Chance Campo is a district director for the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission. He was charged with one felony and one misdemeanor offense for organizing and watching a cockfight.
Campo was arrested alongside several others for betting, training and handling fighting roosters near a barn in South-Central Oklahoma.
Campo is charged with a felony for facilitating a cockfight, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and comes with a $25,000 fine. Meanwhile, the misdemeanor charge of watching the fight is punishable by up to a year in prison and comes with a $500 fine.
Court records show that about 200 people were attending a cockfight in Carter County. One man was arrested for carrying a rooster wearing gaffs — razor-sharp blades that are attached to a rooster’s legs with the intent to kill the rooster it’s pitted against in a fight.
Police also noted they saw several dead roosters around the barn and air-conditioned trailers filled with cockfighting roosters in cages.
TheOklahoma Gamefowl Commission supported a bill this year that would have reduced the punishment for cockfighting but even though itpassed in the House, it never made it to the Senate for a vote.
Oklahomans voted to outlaw cockfighting andmake it a felony in 2002.
The Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission did not immediately respond to questions about Campo’s arrest, but did provide this statement to FOX23:
"The Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission does not promote, condone, nor participate in any illegal activities. Mr. Campo's alleged personal actions would not represent or reflect the purpose, direction or values of the Commission.
Mr. Campo has no prior convictions on his record and is an asset who contributes to his community. However, due to his alleged involvement, he has resigned his position as a District Director with the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission.
The Gamefowl Commission continues to advocate against unconstitutional laws and punishments against the farmers and ranchers in Oklahoma.
We firmly believe that these punishments should be at misdemeanor levels. Possession of dangerous drugs that kill thousands every year are misdemeanor crimes. Many of our violent crimes against police officers, women and children are punishable up to only 5 years in prison."
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