OREM, Utah, May 12, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Officials discovered a suspected cock fighting operation in an Orem home Tuesday night.
A probable cause statement from Utah County said Jose Arturo Meza-Basan, 32, is facing charges of:
- 2 counts of possess forgery writing/device, a second-degree felony
- Aggravated cruelty to animals, intentional or knowingly, a class A misdemeanor
Detectives from Utah County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at a residence in Orem, “looking into illegal drug activity and reports of illegal cock fighting occurring at the home,” the statement said.
“Meza-Basan was found in the basement of the home in a bedroom that contained hundreds of baby chickens and sharpened metal spurs that are tied to the legs of male chickens in order to inflict more damage to another a chicken when fighting,” the statement said.
“The property contained thousands of chickens, some with their spur cut down in order for the blades to attached.”
A spur is a sharp horn-like protrusion that can grow on the legs of chickens, and is used for fighting and self-defense.
Detectives searched Meza-Basan and found that he had a fake ID card and fake social security number in his possession. Meza-Basan stated that a friend gave them to him.
The suspect was transported to Utah County Jail with his bail set at $5,000.
