Santa Rosa men suspected of breeding fighting roosters arrested

Two Santa Rosa men were arrested Wednesday after a stolen vehicle investigation uncovered up to 100 roosters that detectives suspect were being bred as fighting animals.

Toni Diaz, 52, and Mauricio Manzo, 43, were cited and released on suspicion of felony conspiracy and misdemeanor possession of roosters for fighting purposes, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said in a written statement.

The arrests happened Wednesday afternoon as property and narcotics detectives, as well as investigators from the county’s auto theft task force, served a search warrant at a property on Stony Point Road near Todd Road, prompting the road’s closure.

Investigators located multiple stolen vehicles and a truck with stolen parts during their search, as well as dozens of roosters they suspected were being bred to fight, the department said.

Diaz and Manzo were found with the roosters and the men told deputies they were renting the space, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Lt. Jason Lucas said.

Training spurs, or weapons that are attached to roosters’ legs during cockfights, and medications associated with rooster fighting, were also located, Lucas said.

Several people were detained on the property, though the investigation into the stolen vehicles was ongoing as of Thursday afternoon, the statement said.

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com.