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Updated: 8:10 AM Sep 23, 2007
State And Federal Cockfighting Laws
Penalties for cockfighting vary depending on whether the charges are handled at the state or the federal level.
Posted: 6:52 PM Sep 21, 2007Reporter: Mary Pulley Email Address: mpulley@whsv.com |
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Penalties for cockfighting vary depending on whether the charges are handled at the state or the federal level.
Cockfighting is a misdemeanor according to Virginia state law, but a new federal law went into effect this year upgraded it to a felony on the federal level.
"Federal law, for several years, has been that it was unlawful for a person to sponsor or exhibit any animal fighting venture which includes cockfighting,"
says Tom Bondrant, U.S. Attorney's office in Roanoke.
In the state of Virginia, it depends on your participation. There's no state penalty for attending a cockfight if money isn't exchanged, but if money is exchanged, then there is a little problem.
Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County Richard Claybrook says, "It's a very minimal charge when it's prosecuted on the state level."
Since they are facing federal charges, at least one of the four men charged in the recent Page County bust faces as much as 38 years behind bars and/or fines totaling more than $1 million.
Some consider it just a spectator sport, but when you charge admission, or place bets, the state calls it a crime.
Claybrook says,"It actually is illegal to attend rooster fighting where money is involved. Money changing hands."
Money isn't the only reason federal agents got involved in this bust.
Bondrant says, "It becomes a federal law if someone actually transports the rooster across state lines for the purpose of fighting. Or if someone is holding the cockfight or sponsoring and exhibiting the cockfight."
The federal charges include money laundering. Federal agents will continue to investigate this case. This is the first case in the country that has been brought under the new felony law.
Latest Comments
They will not stop until people relize hsus,peta, are people wanting us to become vegaterians,and they want us to put animals before humanes. Wether you believe in cockfighting or not you should help stop what their doing, because their out to stop country way of life. Please before you give money to them check out their main Ideas. Next it maybe your way of life they are attacking.
please slack down on cockfighting please please please god bless.
Life liberty and the persuit of happiness, boy that sounds great does'nt it? I am one of the millions of poeple that you can thank for your freedom. willing to make that ultimate sacrifice for you, "THE PEOPLE" of this great country of ours.Yes I am cockfighter and I am a father of three great girls, I pay my taxes, I am not a criminal,rapist or child molester, there are many like me that have a similar story. Cockfighting dates back to before Christ,a centuries old tradition that our forefathers participated in on the White House lawn. All we ask is to let us live our our way of life. GOD BLESS AMERICA, SEMPER FI






