A routine traffic stop led to the discovery of a cockfighting operation on the western end of Eagle County, with the rescue of 17 roosters.

According to the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, a GRANITE Drug Task Force detective had been patrolling Interstate 70 near mile marker 140 when what appeared to be a routine traffic stop caught his attention. The detective noticed multiple signs of criminal activity during the stop. The investigation led to the discovery of 17 roosters, illegal narcotics, a large amount of U.S. currency, and various blades and equipment consistent with cockfighting.

Eagle County Animal Services helped remove the roosters from the situation. The animals are now undergoing intake and evaluation at Danzig’s Roost Rooster Sanctuary.

Danzig’s Roost Rooster Sanctuary specializes in the care and placement of game roosters seized during criminal investigations. According to the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, the sanctuary has worked with law enforcement for more than a decade to show that “healthy roosters can be humanely cared for and responsibly placed when life-preserving alternatives are pursued.”

Three individuals, Jose Fernando Gutierrez Cisneros, Gustavo Manon Valdez, and Patricio Simon Pena, were criminally charged.

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