Friday, October 16, 2009

Backhoe Theft Leads To Animal Fighting Charge

A Golden Gate Estates man was arrested after deputies located two stolen vehicles and fighting roosters at his home Thursday.

Deputies were investigating the theft of a John Deere backhoe that was reported stolen out of Lee County. They spotted the backhoe at the home of Dennes Pinero, 39, 635 19th Street N.W. around 9:15 a.m.

According to arreset reports, while deputies were investigating the theft of the backhoe, they noticed several structures containing roosters. With Pinero’s permission, deputies searched his property and uncovered 92 birds in cages many groomed for fighting, 20 birds running loose and several chicks.

Reports say four rubber boxing gloves used for training inside a plastic container along with other cockfighting paraphernalia, a makeshift shelter, a loaded shotgun and a Polaris 500 four-wheeler reported stolen out of Hendry County in 2008 were also found during the search.

Pinero was charged with animal fighting and two counts of grand theft auto.