By HOLLY GASKILL
Three individuals have been arrested in a raid of a suspected cockfighting ring in Wells County north of Bluffton.
While the scale of the operation is not yet known, Wells County Sheriff Scott Holliday stated Tuesday evening there were suspected to be more than 100 chickens being bred and housed for fighting.
The property, at 4305 N. Ind. 1, is owned by Kan Lay, who was arrested in the bust. Lay, 47, has been charged on a warrant for the possession of an animal for use in fighting and failure to dispose of an animal properly, both Level 6 felonies. His bond was set at $10,000.
In a news release, the Humane Society of the United States said severe conditions of the dilapidated barn and makeshift animal housing required responders to wear masks for their safety. Corpses and chicken body parts of various stages of decay were located throughout the property. Additionally, some of the living birds showed wounds indicative of fighting.
The HSUS also stated a bloodstained arena was found on the property, with more than 20 chairs around a pit and cigarette butts littered throughout.
There were two additional arrests, Aung Myint, 61, and Na Nyon Sun, 51. Both were arrested on a warrant for the aiding and possessing of an animal for use in fighting, which are Level 6 felonies. Bond for each individual was set at $5,000.
Holliday said there may be more arrests of those suspected to be involved in the coming days.
The investigation was led by the Indiana Gaming Commission and assisted by the Wells County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, HSUS, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Board of Animal Health, and the Bluffton and Ossian police departments.
In a news release, Det. Chip Swindell of the Wells County Sheriff’s Department said the Sheriff’s Department had received several complaints of suspicious activity over the last several months but were limited in their ability to take action due to the scale and nature of the investigation.
“We’ve been investigating this whole thing for some time, (we were) just trying to get all the pieces put together before we could actually build a case, get the probable cause (and) get arrest warrants,” Holliday said.
Swindell stated that the chickens were collected by the Humane Society and will be relocated to proper housing while they are considered evidence in the case.
The HSUS added: “Due to the high likelihood of the birds’ spreading infectious diseases such as avian flu to humans and commercial flocks, chickens rescued from cockfighting situations are typically not permitted to be adopted out. This, in addition to a lack of adequate placement options for roosters, often leaves agencies little choice but humane euthanasia.”
holly@news-banner.com
