Agents raid Fairland farm in cockfighting case

FAIRLAND, Ind. (AP/WISH) - A Shelby County man may be facing numerous charges after state gaming officials Wednesday raided what they're calling a breeding ground for cockfighting.

Cockfighting is a huge sport in some countries including the Philippines. And it's because of a magazine story in a Filipino magazine that state agents found out about one Shelby County man's illegal secret.

State gaming authorities remove dozens of live chickens from the barn at the home of 62-year-old Edward "Wally" Clemons.

"We're serving a search warrant on an animal fighting operation. Particularly roosters….Cockfighting," said Indiana Gaming Control Director Larry Rollins.

About 200 total roosters were seized. Officials say they were all part of an illegal breeding and selling operation Clemons has been running for at least four years at his Fairland home.

The Humane Society got wind of Wally Clemons through an interview he gave with Pit Games Magazine. In it, he talks about cockfighting and even raising fowl which he allegedly did at his home. The article is very lengthy; In fact, it's eight pages long.

John Goodwin, with the Humane Society, showed our crews how the roosters were groomed to fight. One rooster had its spur cut off and the comb removed from the top of its head.

"It's a very cruel activity!" said Goodwin. "These guys will jokingly refer to a bird whose had its eye gouged out as a blinker! They will jokingly refer to a bird as a rattler if its lung has been punctured because of the sound he makes because he's choking on his own blood!"

Authorities say Clemons supplied cockfighting venues all over Indiana and they bring in big money.

"If you have a cockfighting derby where there's 50 entries each paying $200, that's $10,000 in the pot. That's par for the course. Someone is going to walk away with that money. That's why we need to see strong prosecutions so that the cockfighter will realize that the punishment is stronger than the potential profit." Goodwin said.

Neighbor Mary Games told us she suspected something was up at the home.

"I knew that's what he was doing! I knew it! I didn't want to say nothing, you know what I mean? I kept thinking, yeah that's what's going on," she said.

We're told Clemons has been involved in cockfighting for more than 20 years total. Gaming agents say they're sending their findings to the Shelby County prosecutor’s office. They'll determine the exact charges, if any.