Six men were hauled into federal court in Providence yesterday, facing charges in a gruesome cockfighting operation that allegedly went down in the city. The indictment, brought by a federal grand jury last week, accuses the men of violating the Animal Welfare Act in connection with a savage bloodsport—cockfighting.
At the center of the indictment is 73-year-old Miguel Delgado, who prosecutors say hosted multiple brutal cockfighting “derbies” at his Providence home. According to the feds, Delgado didn’t just host these barbaric events—he’s also charged with transporting and buying razor-sharp blades, known as “gaffs,” to strap onto the birds, turning them into lethal weapons.
But Delgado wasn’t alone in this twisted spectacle. Two other Rhode Islanders, Onill Vasquez Lozada, 39, and Antonio Ledee Rivera, are facing charges of possessing roosters for use in the derbies and exhibiting them in the grisly March 2022 fights. Rivera is also charged in connection with an earlier derby.
Three more suspects—Germidez Kingsley Jamie, 31, Jose Rivera, 67, and Luis Castillo, 35, all hailing from Massachusetts—joined in the deadly action. Jamie and Jose Rivera are also accused of transporting gaffs to the cockfights.
The indictment paints a horrifying picture of the events: roosters outfitted with blades, set just inches apart, forced to battle until one of them drops dead or is too wounded to continue. Often, both birds die in the process, their lives sacrificed for sick entertainment.
If convicted, the six men could face up to five years behind bars for their involvement in the illegal cockfighting ring. The feds aren’t taking this lightly, and a U.S. District Court judge will ultimately decide their fate.
The bust was the result of a massive, multi-agency investigation that included the USDA-OIG, Postal Inspection Service, FDA, Rhode Island SPCA, and a slew of local police departments from Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim and U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for Rhode Island are leading the charge in bringing these men to justice.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about animal fighting to report it immediately to local law enforcement or the USDA-OIG’s hotline.
This case sends a strong message: the feds are coming for anyone involved in this cruel, underground world.
Like Newport Buzz? We depend on the generosity of readers like you who support us, to help with our mission to keep you informed and entertained with local, independent news and content. We truly appreciate your trust and support!
