COOLIDGE, Ariz. — Animal Wellness Action today praised the Pinal County Attorney’s Office and its partners for securing 80 felony and misdemeanor indictments against two men charged in a widespread cockfighting operation uncovered by the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement (GIITE). A Grand Jury indicted 60-year-old Samuel Felix and 61-year-old Gerald Vaughn each on 80 counts of cockfighting and one count of controlling an illegal enterprise.
Authorities seized 110 roosters and extensive evidence of staged animal fighting. The investigation was led by the GIITE team and assisted by the Coolidge Police Department, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Pinal County Animal Control, Coolidge Animal Control, and the Arizona Humane Society.
According to law enforcement, the case followed a months-long investigation that uncovered birds showing injuries and conditioning consistent with cockfighting, along with gaffs, knives, syringes, steroids, vitamins, and improvised training implements. Officials believe the Coolidge property was part of a broader criminal network involved in transporting fighting birds and facilitating illegal gambling activities. Cockfighting is a Class 5 felony in Arizona
We are grateful to see substantial felony charges filed in this case,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “Cockfighting is not an isolated act of cruelty — it is a criminal ecosystem tied to gambling, narcotics, weapons, and trafficking. Strong, persistent enforcement is needed to protect animals and communities.”
Animal Wellness Action urges prosecutors to pursue maximum penalties under Arizona law and to coordinate with federal authorities, as cockfighting is also a felony under federal statute. The organization also calls on Congress to pass the bipartisan FIGHT Act (H.R. 3946 / S. 1454) to bolster enforcement tools, including bans on shipping fighting birds through the mail, outlawing simulcast gambling on cockfights, and enhancing forfeiture provisions for property used in these criminal enterprises. The Arizona Sheriffs’ Association and the Arizona Humane Society are two key endorsers, with more than 1,000 agencies and organizations across the nation backing the FIGHT Act.
“Every cockfighting venue is a crime scene, and law enforcement increasingly understands that busting up animal fighting operations more broadly builds safety in our communities,” Pacelle added.
The case remains under investigation, and authorities have indicated that additional suspects or charges may follow.
A fact sheet on the FIGHT Act can be found here.