2 Men Arrested in Raid on Cockfight

Two men--including one from Panorama City--were arrested Sunday after authorities raided a cockfight attended by about 200 people in an orchard south of the city.

Fabian Avila, 20, of Panorama City and Rafael Beltran, 37, of Oxnard were cited for alleged animal cruelty and released, officials said. The district attorney’s office will be asked to file formal charges, Ventura County Sheriff’s Capt. Rod Thompson said.

Acting on a tip, deputies arrived at the orchard at South Mountain and Balcom Canyon roads about 1:15 p.m., where they found 20 dead birds. Eleven live birds were recovered. Deputies also had been told that guns and beer were being sold at the event, but no guns were seized.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Larry Meyers said Beltran allegedly had five fighting cocks in cages in his vehicle as well as razor spurs, which are attached to the birds’ legs to inflict injuries. Avila possessed razor spurs but no birds, Meyers said.