By SYDNEY KENT & HOLLY GASKILL
Kan Lay, 48, rural Ossian, entered a guilty plea for charges related to a cockfighting ring in Wells County Superior Court Friday.
Lay was arrested last November following a year-long investigation into the ring, located 4305N-Ind. 1 just north of Bluffton city limits. He was charged with purchasing an animal for use in a fighting contest or possessing an animal for use in a fighting contest, a Level 6 felony, and failure to properly dispose of a dead animal, a Level 6 felony.
During the hearing, Judge Andrew Antrim asked Lay to confirm that he did knowingly possess animals for the purpose of using in an animal contest. Lay’s interpreter, Naw Maumg, translated during the hearing. Lay was seen nodding his head while Maumg translated the words, “I am guilty” to the court. Lay’s sentencing will be 10:30 a.m. on August 14 in Wells Superior Court.
Antrim stated that the court would take the plea of guilty under advisement until the sentencing hearing.
Aung Myint, 61, and Na Nyon Sun, 51, were also arrested in connection to the ring and charged with the fighting contest or possessing an animal for use in a fighting contest, a Level 6 felony. They have entered preliminary not-guilty pleas.
The investigation was spurred by a series of complaints about animal fighting and farm conditions. Two gaming officers from the Indiana Gaming Control Agency, Jeffrey Boyd and Robert Brophy observed what appeared to be between 18 and 30 pens of animals.
Boyd and Brophy also photographed suspicious activity from a neighboring area, including a large pit that contained trash and remains of animals of various stages of decay. The birds appeared to be a special Burmese breed often used for cockfighting.
Multiple agencies then became involved in the investigation, including the Wells County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, Indiana State Board of Animal Health and two veterinarians experienced in the area of the health of game birds.
Surveillance of the property continued, including the observation of several alleged cockfighting events. On Jan. 15, 42 vehicles were seen entering and exiting the residence between 1:30 and 6:12 p.m. They counted 82 people on the property at one time.
The officers were eventually noticed by Lay, and the officers posed as having an interest in acquiring a chicken. Lay allegedly admitted the birds were available for sale at $300 each, but did not connect them with fighting purposes. The officers eventually established a rapport with Lay and others connected to the cockfighting ring, which allowed Brophy and Brody to photograph and view more of the property.
The men eventually purchased a rooster, which was submitted as evidence.
Local and state authorities raided the ring on Nov. 3, locating at least 100 living birds, some of which showed wounds indicative of fighting. The Human Society of the United States reported there were corpses in various states of decay throughout the property. A bloodstained arena was also found with more than 20 chairs surrounding it.
Due to the severe conditions of the property, all birds collected by the HSUS were euthanized.
Judge Antrim ordered a pre-sentencing investigation report at the hearing. Antrim also ordered Lay to give his information to Probation and Wells County Community Corrections before he left Friday afternoon.
sydney@news-banner.com
holly@news-banner.com
