Cockfight At Essex County Social Club Raided, 5 Roosters Killed: Police

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police arrested two men and seized 45 roosters after raiding an illegal cockfighting event in Essex County on Saturday night, authorities say.

After receiving an anonymous tip around 10 p.m. that there were individuals fighting roosters at the El Cacique Social Club on North 6th Street in Newark, police responded to the club, where they found a “large crowd watching and participating in a cockfighting event,” according to the Newark Department of Public Safety.

With the assistance of officers from the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, police recovered 45 roosters from captivity, including five which died as a result of their injuries, authorities said.

Police charged the club owner, Noralberto Orengo, 53, of Newark, and business manager, William Aviles, 53, of Newark, with offenses including “management of receiving money for admission of a person to a place kept for the purpose of fighting a living animal” and permitting the fighting of a living animal.

All state charges fall under “fighting or baiting animals or creatures” and related offenses, Newark police stated.

"I will ensure the police division is relentless keeping these types of locations closed,” Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose stated.

Anyone with information about cockfighting events or other alleged crimes can call the department's 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867).

COCKFIGHTING IN NEWARK

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Maria Cruz, 41, of Rockway, NY, was fatally shot during the attempted robbery of a cockfight on 3rd Avenue in Newark in 2014.

Prosecutors allege that Samir Thomas, Kelvin Diaz and Luis Ortiz conspired to commit an armed robbery of the attendees of the cockfight, which was being held in a Newark home.

During the robbery, Thomas, 24, of Elizabeth, allegedly shot Cruz, who died as a result of her wound, prosecutors said.

• See related article: Newark Cockfight Robbery Leaves Woman Dead, Jury Indicts 3

File photo: Flickr Commons