US man faces jail, $250,000 fine per charge for rooster fights
Officials said these were no ordinary village games, the birds were fitted with sharp blades and forced to fight to the death
April 30, 2025
An American man has pleaded guilty to organising brutal rooster fights in the US state of Rhode Island — a crime that could land him in jail for up to five years and cost him more than Rs70 million in fines.
The US Department of Justice said Onill Vazquez Lozada, a resident of Providence, admitted to owning and sponsoring deadly cockfights in 2021 and 2022.
These were no ordinary village games, officials said. The birds were fitted with sharp blades strapped to their legs, just above their feet, replacing their natural spurs, and forced to fight to the death, or until one backed down.
Such blood sports are considered not only cruel but also serious federal crimes in the US. Lozada is set to be sentenced on July 29. He faces a fine of $250,000 per charge — more than Rs70 million in Pakistani currency.
Cockfighting is banned across the United States due to its violent and inhumane nature, with birds slashing each other mid-air using attached metal spurs.
