RI Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Cockfighting Charges - Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison

RI Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Cockfighting Charges - Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Rhode Island announced on Tuesday that Onill Vazquez Lozada of Providence pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing, sponsoring, and exhibiting birds in an animal fighting venture in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

As part of his plea, Lozada admitted that on April 27, 2021, he possessed roosters for the purpose of having them fight. 

Lozada also admitted that on March 6, 2022, he sponsored and exhibited, and aided and abetted sponsoring and exhibiting, at least one rooster in a fight against another rooster.

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About Case

According to the U.S Attorney's Office:

Cockfighting is a contest in which a person attaches a knife, gaff or other sharp instrument to the leg of a “gamecock” or rooster and then places the bird a few inches away from a similarly armed rooster. This results in a fight during which the roosters flap their wings and jump while stabbing each other with the weapons that are fastened to their legs. A cockfight ends when one rooster is dead or refuses to continue to fight. Commonly, one or both roosters die after a fight.

Lozada faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge to which he pleaded guilty. 

U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose for the District of Rhode Island accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Lozada after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.