Raid closes cockfighting operation

Numerous felony arrest warrants are yet to be served in connection with an illegal cockfighting and gambling operation in Crawford County, according to Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune.

During a Saturday raid, 81 were arrested on felony charges related to keeping gambling house statutes when more than 125 law enforcement officers executed two federal search warrants at 10100 Shiloh Road near Cedarville. A search warrant also was executed at 3523 Kenner Chapel Road in the Rudy Community.

Taken into custody was main player in the cockfighting operation, James Henderson, 41, who lives at the Kenner Chapel Road address, McCune said. Also arrested were Kenneth and Cecilia Henderson, both 40, who were listed as the owners of the Shiloh Road property.

McCune said all three were arrested on suspicion of operating a gambling house, criminal use of property and contributing to a criminal enterprise, all felonies, and misdemeanor cruelty to animals.

There were 61 misdemeanor citations issued by officers during the course of Saturday's raids. The citations were all related to violations of gambling participation statutes.

McCune said it could be days, even weeks, before all the warrants are served. He said it would be a month or even two months before state charges are filed.

"We are waiting on reports from the FBI," McCune said. "We need to compile all the information before charges can be filed.

Meanwhile on Monday, Robert C. Balfe, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, filed a forfeit complaint for the property at 10100 Shiloh Road.

"Property used in furtherance of an illegal gambling business is subject to forfeiture," Blafe said. "Procedures provide that persons who claim an ownership or other interest in the property will receive notice and will be given an opportunity to contest the forfeiture action."

McCune said the Shiloh Road location consists of residential structures as well as a large out-building equipped with "fighting pits" and is designed to accommodate spectators.

Entrance to the 120-acre site was through a locked gate, McCune said, with a guard shack where security guards checked a picture ID card. The 6,000-square-foot out-building for cockfighting was surrounded by trailers designed to house the roosters. The trailers were either rented or purchased and were temperature and humidity controlled, McCune said.

McCune said the cock fighting building had seating for 198 on three sides of the main arena, an elevated press box with public address system and concession stands for both food and cockfighting paraphernalia, including spurs, grinders to sharpen the spurs and needles to inject vitamins, or even methamphetamine, to get roosters ready to fight.

At the back of the building were three chutes in which dead roosters were pushed into barrels, McCune said. The walls were covered with blood, photographs revealed.

McCune said authorities have been investigating the cockfight and gambling operation since last August when an undercover officer on the East Coast tipped local police.

The Arkansas State Police sent in an undercover male officer while the FBI paired a female agent to pose as boyfriend and girlfriend. "They had to be introduced to a member to get their own membership in late January before they could get in."

Since then, the two have been gathering information on organizers, cock handlers, fighters, referees, security guards and concession workers, the prosecutor said.

McCune said memberships cost $50 with a weekly charge of $20 and $5 seats. The season opened Nov. 25 and was to run through July 14 with a three-day show over Memorial Day weekend and several tribute shows and a benefit for "children's hospital."

Entry fees ranged from $200 to $500 and the night's winner could pocket from $35,000 to $50,000, McCune said. Money also exchanged hands through side-bets between cock owners, handlers and spectators.

McCune estimated more than $1 million passed through the operation since August.

However, he noted that few "locals" were involved in the operation. Most were from Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Texas, he said.

Among those taken into custody on Saturday were Bill McNatt, the elementary principal at Keota Public Schools; and Mark Hyatt and Brian and Stephanie Pope of Crawford County.

"It is amazing this has been going on for so long and so few knew about it," McCune said. "Some of those living in the area were aware of the operation because they knew where we were going when Saturday's operation began to unfold."

McCune said the operation could have been going on for two to three years following the closing of a similar operation north of Muldrow. A third search warrant was executed by federal and state authorities in Oklahoma on Saturday at the residence of the woman who is believed to be in charge of the membership role for a cockfighting association.

Authorities were armed with 51 arrest warrants on Saturday morning. Additional felony charges will result from arrests made at the site, McCune said.

About 25 vehicles also were seized from the about 150 who were present, McCune said. Vehicles were seized if they contained cock coops or other fighting paraphernalia.

"We had an agreement with the feds going in that they would keep cash over $1,000 and the state would get anything under $1,000," McCune said. As of Monday afternoon, the state had tallied $23,000, 19 vehicles and one four-wheeler.

Approximately $30,000 to $40,000 in cash and four vehicles were seized by FBI agents.

The investigation had involved officers of the Crawford County Sheriff's Department, Arkansas State Police, 21st District Prosecuting Attorney, Drug Task Force, U.S. Attorney's Office, FBI, U.S. Marshal's Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Between 250 and 300 roosters were destroyed by USDA, McCune said.

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