The seventh and last member of an Alabama household that prosecutors allege ran an “expansive cockfighting operation” full with “stadium-style seating for about 150 individuals” and a “merchandise stand,” has been sentenced on federal fees.
On Tuesday, George Easterling, 56, of Verbena, was handed a 22-month jail time period adopted by one yr of supervised launch after pleading responsible to a number of felonies, together with violating the Animal Welfare Act’s prohibition in opposition to animal combating, in accordance with the Justice Division.
Prosecutors say Easterling and 6 different relations, ranging in age from 25 to 77, had been just lately concerned in working a cockfighting pit and fighting-bird breeding operation.
“In keeping with courtroom paperwork and data within the public document, from at the very least January 2018 via June 11, 2021, unlawful cockfighting occasions had been held on the cockfighting pit, which consisted of an enviornment with stadium-style seating for about 150 individuals which confronted a number of cockfighting pits and several other close by outbuildings together with a merchandise stand,” the Justice Division mentioned in a press release.
“Members had been charged costly charges to enter their birds within the derbies – corresponding to $1,500 to battle seven roosters – and advised what weapons to strap to the roosters’ legs, corresponding to quick knives, lengthy knives or spurs,” it added.
Prosecutors say that close to the cockfighting pit, “members of the Easterling household ran two giant fighting-bird breeding companies referred to as Swift Creek Gamefarm and L&L Gamefarm at which 1000’s of birds had been bred and offered for use in fights between two or extra birds for the needs of sport, wagering or leisure.”
“Mixed, the seven convicted members of the Easterling household helped run one of many largest cockfighting enterprises within the nation,” the Justice Division mentioned. “With the assistance of six of his relations, Jim Easterling owned and operated the cockfighting pit for a few years, even enlisting his granddaughter, Amber Easterling, to promote weapons used to kill birds in cockfights on the merchandise stand.”
The assertion additionally described Brent Easterling as being “one of the vital widely-known fighting-bird breeders within the nation, working L&L Gamefarm together with his spouse Kassi Easterling and charging $1,500 for 3 chickens as a result of they had been birds of choose combating pedigrees.”
Assistant Lawyer Normal Todd Kim of the Justice Division’s Setting and Pure Sources Division mentioned, “As these sentences vividly present, the Division of Justice will proceed to carry accountable those that encourage and revenue from forcing animals to battle one another for human leisure.”
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