SYLMAR : 4 Face Charges in Cockfighting Cases

Criminal charges were filed this week against two men accused of holding a cockfight in Sylmar and two other men accused of training fighting cocks that they planned to ship to Arizona and Mexico for sale.

The Los Angeles city attorney’s office charged Juan Munoz, 43, and Vincente Gudino, 35, both of Sylmar, each with a single count of permitting cockfighting. Munoz also faces a count of possessing fighting cocks, and Gudino also faces a charge of possessing gaffs and slashers, devices attached to cocks for fighting purposes.

Los Angeles police detectives and city animal control officers said they arrested Munoz and Gudino on April 23 after finding as many as 70 people watching a cockfight at a Sylmar residence. Officers reported seizing 10 dead birds, eight injured birds and cockfighting devices.

The men are scheduled to be arraigned May 9 in San Fernando Municipal Court. If convicted, Munoz and Gudino face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine for each count.

In a separate case, authorities have charged Ricardo Fernandez, 28, of Arleta, and Efren Viramontes, 32, of Sylmar, with a count each of training birds for fighting.

Officers arrested the two men April 13 after they received a tip that cocks were being trained to fight at a Sylmar location. More than 100 fighting cocks--valued at between $40,000 and $60,000--were confiscated.

Fernandez and Viramontes are scheduled for arraignment May 27 in San Fernando Municipal Court and face the same penalties as Munoz and Gudino.