By Tonya Alanez staff writer
February 29, 2004

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Sheriff's Office on Saturday was still investigating a Fellsmere cockfighting ring that netted five arrests and likely will lead to the confiscation of as many as 1,800 birds.

The Sheriff's Office initially anticipated the confiscation of about 1,000 fighting roosters, said Detective Joe Flescher, Sheriff's Office spokesman.

About 800 birds were confiscated Friday and Saturday and more birds will be removed today, Flescher said.

With the number of birds being transported to the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County facility and an additional 1,000 expected, the Humane Society has almost exhausted its emergency response resources, Flescher said.

Flescher said anyone interested in assisting in the effort to humanely handle the birds should contact the Humane Society.

Sheriff's deputies on Friday arrested three Fellsmere men on warrants.

Antonio Lopez, 43, and Charles "Buck" Raulerson, 51, were charged with one count each of fighting or baiting animals and one count each of cruelty to animals. Both charges are felonies.

"The most birds by far are going to come from the Raulerson site," Flescher said. "We anticipate the numbers (at the Raulerson site) will exceed 1,000 by a conservative estimate."

Willis Lamar Wilson, 58, was charged Friday with two counts of fighting or baiting animals, which is a felony.

When detectives spoke with Wilson, he allegedly told detectives that Danny N. Proffitt, 33, also of Fellsmere, was the owner of some of the birds on his property, Flescher said.

Proffitt was charged with his connection and ownership of the birds and was charged with felony fighting or baiting animals.

Lopez's son, Antonio Enrique Lopez Jr., 21, was charged with felony possession of cockfighting paraphernalia, razor-like knives that are fitted to the birds for fighting.

The five suspects made court appearances Saturday and were released on bonds ranging from $5,000 to $30,000, Flescher said. All but Raulerson have court dates set for April 2. His court date is to be set.

Sheriff Roy Raymond has labeled this "the largest cockfighting network in the state" and Joan Carlson, executive director of the local Humane Society, said, "The sheer number of animals is something we have never seen before."

It is likely that the birds will be euthanized, Flescher said.

Because of their aggressive Nature, they cannot be tamed or made into household pets, he said. And because they were fed substances to build up their ability to fight to death they are not fit for human consumption, he said.

"We knew it was a large undertaking," Flescher said. "But it is larger than anticipated."

- tonya.alanez@scripps.com