Cockfighting Indictment Shows The Corruption Accompanying The Cruelty

November 18, 2008

	©The HSUS
	The Page County indictment alleges an extensive criminal cockfighting conspiracy.

By Ariana Huemer

Cockfighting and criminal corruption go hand in hand. Just ask Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bondurant, who recently announced a 22-count indictment against Page County, Va., Sheriff Daniel Presgraves for his alleged involvement in a convoluted cockfighting scheme.

Accused of taking bribes from cockfighters in exchange for looking the other way, Presgraves was charged with crimes ranging from violating federal racketeering laws to obstructing law enforcement investigations.

Political Corruption

The indictment of Presgraves may be a scandal, but it's hardly surprising to those familiar with cockfighting's criminal circles. In many parts of the country, the good ol' boys' network still reigns, with law enforcement willing to overlook this sickening activity in exchange for a little payola.

But the indictment that shook Page County doesn't end with Sheriff Presgraves. The U.S. Attorney's Office also indicted the Virginia Gamefowl Breeders Association (VGBA) and their former president Chester "Chet" Fannon.

Front Group Exposed

Fannon allegedly made five-figure contributions to Virginia politicians under his own name, while accepting reimbursement from the VGBA in order to hide the true source of the political contributions: a criminal cockfighting organization. Such activities directly violate federal laws requiring transparency in political contributions.

©The HSUS
The VGBA and UGBA allegedly conspire to keep alive illegal cockfighting operations like this one.

Perhaps most striking about the indictment of Fannon and the VGBA is that it accuses the VGBA of sharing the goal of the United Gamefowl Breeders Association (UGBA): the promotion of cockfighting, a blood sport that is a felony in 33 states.

Acknowledging The Obvious

In doing so, the federal court documents reinforce what animal advocates have been saying all along: the UGBA and the VGBA are nothing more than front groups for the cockfighting industry.

By acknowledging that the VGBA and the UGBA promote illegal cockfighting federal prosecutors should have the two groups running scared. The truth about cockfighting's criminal clique is finally coming out, giving cockfighters and their cruel activities nowhere to hide. 

Ariana Huemer is cruelty case manager for The Humane Society of the United States. 

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