Eleven people were arrested following the breakup of a cockfighting ring on the Central Coast.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office detectives received a tip about some cockfights taking place Sunday morning in the Santa Maria area.
Sheriff’s officers and Santa Maria Police arrived on the 3500 block of Telephone Road, just east of Santa Maria at about 11 a.m. A crowd estimated at 40 to 50 people tried to flee when officers arrived, but 11 people were taken into custody. Detectives found a large improvised cockfighting arena, a half dozen dead roosters, 15 to 20 live ones, and cockfighting paraphernalia.
The charges against those arrested range from possession of cockfighting paraphernalia to resisting arrest.
