KSP arrests eight people in connection to chicken fighting pits
PIKE COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — Since 2021, several law enforcement agencies have been working together to uncover a chicken fighting operation in the Blackberry Community of Pike County.
“All those agencies played a part in the investigation, but everybody went in together and we had a plan and were able to execute it and luckily no one was hurt,” KSP Trooper Michael Coleman said.
Detectives say that used a confidential informant to conduct surveillance on the Blackberry Chicken Pit seven times, but when it came time to execute the search warrant, there was nothing to search.
“That location, it had shut down,” Trooper Coleman said. “So, they had moved over and started investigating into the Letcher County Area.”
As we reported, the Whitesburg Chicken Pit in Letcher County held cockfighting events where people could bet on fights, buy weapons, and work concession stands.
“You have the animal cruelty to begin with, but with any kind of criminal activity, a lot of times there is more criminal activity going on,” Trooper Coleman said.
A total of eight people were arrested in connection to both the Pike County and Letcher County chicken fighting organizations. The owner and operator of the Whitesburg Chicken Pit pleaded guilty to his charges and forfeited more than $85,000 as part of his plea agreement last month.
Everybody else arrested in connection to the Whitesburg Chicken Pit pleaded guilty to their charges. These charges included selling gaffs (sharp weapons attached to chickens’ ankles), helping run a chicken fight, being a referee at fights and conspiracy to commit animal fighting.
“Some investigations can be quick, and some investigations take a lot of time, but hopefully the end result is always the same as justice is served,” Trooper Coleman said.
KSP says it was able to complete the investigations because of peoples’ tips. If you have any information about chicken fighting organizations, your asked to contact your local KSP post.
