Pizza Delivery Exposed Cockfighting, Breeding Compound in Winter Haven

WINTER HAVEN | Eliut Juse Serrano Hernandez, 38, of Winter Haven was arrested Monday after a delivery driver called the Polk County Sheriff's Office to anonymously report witnessing a rooster fight Friday.

Deputies located a cockfighting ring, ceramic rooster spurs and 123 roosters and chickens at Hernandez's residence, located at 2400 21st Street NW in Winter Haven, Sheriff's Office spokesman Scott Wilder said.

"We really appreciate this pizza delivery driver calling us. Frankly, I can't understand why someone would ask for a pizza delivery during an ­illegal cock-fight," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release today.

"It's pretty funny when you think about it."

Hernandez was charged with nine counts of possession of animals for the purpose of fighting or baiting, four counts of possession of equipment used for fighting or baiting animals and one count of leasing property for fighting or baiting animals, all of which are third-degree felonies.

Wilder said Oscar Feliciano Agudo, 42, and Christiane Ann Moser, 38, both of whom live at Hernandez's residence, were arrested on drug and other charges.

Nine of the roosters found on the property were bred on-site. Wilder said these roosters' combs and spurs were removed, and they were ready to fight.

Deputies found a cockfighting ring, with feathers inside from previous fights, and a table used to trim off rooster spurs, Wilder said.

In a refrigerator, deputies found bottles of medication from Mexico that were clearly marked for rooster fighting.

They also found plastic rooster boxing gloves, used to cover the rooster's spurs and train the bird to fight without inflicting injury, and several ceramic spurs.

Wilder said ceramic spurs are tied onto a rooster's natural spur area after the existing spur is removed, and they help roosters more easily kill their opponents.

Deputies said Hernandez admitted to fighting birds on his property and said the ring and all the roosters were his.

Wilder said Hernandez told deputies the boxing gloves and ceramic spurs may be his, but that he'd only fought the birds "one or two times."

Wilder said all 123 roosters and chickens were confiscated and will be held until they're euthanized.

Hernandez, Agudo and Moser were booked into Polk County Jail.

[ Kaitlyn Pearson can be reached at kaitlyn.pearson@theledger.com or 863-802-7516. Follow her on Twitter @KR_Pearson. ]