OLYMPIA — Four people are facing animal-fighting related charges after local authorities discovered more than 500 chickens and other animals on a property near Yelm.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) found the chickens and many other animals on Feb. 13 while executing a search warrant on a property on the 15700 block of 153rd Avenue Southeast, northwest of Lake Lawrence, according to court records.
Given the scale of the operation, deputies searched the property in partnership with Joint Animal Services (JAS) and several other regional partners, the agencies shared on Facebook. In addition to the chickens, authorities seized dozens of other neglected animals, including horses, goats, cows and dogs.
“We are grateful for our jurisdictional partners and the diligent deputies and detectives at TCSO,” Joint Animal Services shared on Facebook. “Animal control agencies and shelters do not have the budget or staff to handle cases of this magnitude on their own. Partnerships and mutual aid with other animal agencies enable us to achieve what often seems impossible.”
Deputies arrested four people on the property on suspicion of being involved in animal fighting and the mistreatment of the various animals.
All four attended their preliminary appearances in Thurston County Superior Court on Friday, Feb. 14. Judge Christopher Lanese found probable cause for several crimes and ordered each defendant to be released on their personal recognizance with conditions.
On Tuesday, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged each of them with the following crimes.
- Eliazar Blancas Rojas, 39, was charged with one count of advancement of animal fighting, one count of animal mutilation in furtherance of animal fighting, and one count of first-degree animal cruelty.
- Benito Blancas Rojas, 36, was charged with one count of animal mutilation in furtherance of animal fighting, one count of advancement of animal fighting, and one count of first-degree animal cruelty.
- Ulises Blancas Garcia, 23, was charged with two counts of advancement of animal fighting and one count first-degree animal cruelty.
- Angel Antonio Blancas Maya, 19, was charged with three counts of advancement of animal fighting.
How were the animals found?
A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the property from the perspective of law enforcement.
On Jan. 15, a deputy reviewed a report of animal welfare concerns from a member of Hooved Animal Rescue of Thurston County.
The member reportedly shared several photographs of the property from a public roadway. The photographs showed an emaciated horse and several roosters tied to 55-gallon plastic barrels in a field.
The deputy looked up the property on Google Maps. Aerial imagery showed several barrel-type housing arrangements. The statement says these arrangements are not consistent with typical backyard flocks, agriculture setups or housing for show birds.
Based on previous experience and training, the deputy suspected the enclosures were used to breed and raise roosters for fighting.
The next day, the deputy drove by the property and observed extremely thin horses and roosters tied to barrels in the field of the property.
The Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol then conducted aerial fly-overs of the property to capture more images. Based on those images, deputies estimated there were 200 to 300 roosters on the property.
The images also showed mutilated roosters that had their combs and waddles removed. A consulting veterinarian assessed two photographed horses as well and determined they appeared extremely emaciated.
The deputy obtained a search warrant on Feb. 5 but the Sheriff’s Office took several days to organize a plan to execute the warrant.
The following area agencies helped the Sheriff’s Office and Joint Animal Services search the property on Feb. 13.
- Regional Animal Services of King County
- Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control
- Mason County Sheriff’s Office
- Edmonds Police Department Animal Control
- Center Valley Animal Rescue
- Hooved Animal Rescue of Thurston County
- Save a Forgotten Equine
What did investigators find on the property?
The agencies conducted the search in snowy weather with temperatures between 14 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit, according to court records.
In all, investigators found 567 hens and roosters that were individually caged and staked to barrels, 15 horses in different states of malnutrition and injury, 17 goats as well as several cows and dogs with varying degrees of shelter and food.
The emaciated horse that was seen from the roadway was found dead in a nearby wooded area. Most of the remaining horses did not have blankets or access to shelter. A majority of the horses did not have long or shaggy coats either.
One of the goats had a significant, untreated wound on its rear right leg and appeared weak.
Investigators also found cockfighting paraphernalia including:
- Sparing muffs
- 11 bundles of gaffs, razor-sharp steel blades attached to the legs of gamecocks to “increase the violence” of fights, as well as moleskin, which is used to attach the gaffs.
- Vitamins and antibiotics for the chickens, including one carton of pills that was labeled “Antibiotics for Cockfighting.” No anesthesia was found.
- Leg bands, wing tags and hole punches to mark the birds.
- Needles, shears and saws used to mutilate the birds.
Additionally, investigators found several blackout boxes with roosters as well as several blood-stained transport boxes made of food and cardboard.
At least two dead roosters were found in a burn pile of mixed wood, household trash and other garbage, according to the statement.
Investigators also made a gruesome realization while processing the scene. What they initially deemed to be leaves scatted on a field turned out to be discarded combs of countless mutilated roosters.
Medical personnel treated multiple roosters on the property. At least seven roosters were in such poor condition that medical personnel euthanized them onsite.
What did the people on the property have to say?
Benito Blancas Rojas admitted to owning a significant number of birds and animals on the property. He said he tracked the birds’ bloodlines and removed their combs and spurs with the intention of selling the birds outside the country.
When questioned about gaffs and cockfighting kits on the property, Benito Blancas Rojas said something to the effect of, “I think I should be quiet now,” according to the statement.
Eliazar Blancas Rojas admitted to removing combs from at least 20 roosters and owning many of the caged roosters. He then showed deputies a burn pit where they disposed of dead roosters as well as a carpeted stage where they promoted the roosters for sale on social media.
Deputies also questioned Eliazar Blancas Rojas about the gaffs. He said he knew they were for cockfighting but insisted he only intended to sell them at “shows” and not use them himself.
Ulises Blancas Garcia, the nephew to Benito and Eliazar Blancas Rojas, told deputies he owned four horses on the property and helped look after the roosters.
Angel Antonio Blancas Maya, also a nephew to Benito and Eliazar Blancas Rojas, declined to speak to law enforcement.
Benito and Eliazar Blancas Rojas both told deputies Ulises Blancas Garcia and Angel Antonio Blancas Maya helped routinely “care” for the birds.
