Odenton Man Pleads Guilty to Cockfighting Charges

ODENTON, MD — An Odenton man initially charged with 79 counts tied to cockfighting will spend up to two years in prison and may not keep animals when he is released.

Ethan Samuel Harmon, 36, of 1248 Patuxent Road in Odenton, was charged June 8 with 18 counts of possession with intent to use a gaff to be used on a gamecock, four counts of possession with intent to use a sparring muff on a gamecock, and 67 counts of possession with intent to use a cock for the purpose of fighting another animal (cockfighting), according to the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

The county state’s attorney says Harmon has pleaded guilty this week to five cockfighting-related charges. He was sentenced to 15 years, with all but two years suspended on the prison sentence, and given credit for time served. He was also ordered to pay restitution to county animal control and may not have animals in the future.

The Capital-Gazette reported that 270 chickens seized during the raid on Harmon’s farm were all destroyed in July because they tested positive for four types of infectious diseases.

State authorities told the newspaper the risk of contamination to neighboring farms was very low because summer heat and sunlight would kill any infectious agents within five days to two weeks of the birds’ removal from the property.

In early May, Anne Arundel County Animal Control officials were tipped that Hamon’s property was being used to house and fight roosters, otherwise known as gamecocks. On June 8, Vice Unit detectives, with assistance from Animal Control and Humane Society of the United States personnel, searched Harmon’s property.

Detectives found more than 200 birds, including gamecocks, hens and chicks, on the property, police say. All were removed by Animal Control. Detectives also located several items of paraphernalia indicative of cockfighting.

Authorities do not believe cockfighting was occurring at Harmon’s property, but that he was breeding birds there to be used in cockfights elsewhere.

»Photo of suspect Ethan Samuel Harmon of Odenton, courtesy of Anne Arundel County Police