INDUSTRY — Sheriff’s officials arrested one man and cited four others after they broke up the start of an apparent cockfight Saturday.
Mauro Jara, 38, of Fontana, who was suspected of organizing the cockfight, was booked on suspicion of felony burglary and misdemeanor animal cruelty, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Hiroshi Yokoyama said.
Four other people were given citations for misdemeanor cruelty to animals, the lieutenant said.
An anonymous tipster called authorities shortly before 9:40 p.m. to report a cockfight beginning inside an unoccupied industrial building in the 21400 block of Ferrero Parkway, Yokoyama said.
Deputies found about 40 people and 44 roosters inside the building, he said.
The roughly 35 people who were not cited or arrested were briefly detained and released, Yokoyama said.
Animal control officials took custody of the roosters.
According to booking records, Jara is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and is due for arraignment at West Covina Superior Court Tuesday.