2 Charged with Trying to Steal Cockfighting Birds

From the NY Attorney General's office:


Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said two people have been arrested for allegedly breaking into and attempting to steal about 50 chickens from a barn in Poland, Herkimer County.

The chickens had previously been rescued as part of the Attorney General’s “Operation Bloodsport” -- a five-month investigation into an alleged network of cockfighting in the Mohawk Valley that resulted in 41 arrests, and the seizure of gamecocks, heroin, guns and cash.

“It’s cruel, dangerous, and unlawful to torture animals for entertainment – and even more egregious to break in and try to steal those animals after their rescue,” said Schneiderman. “Poultry pilferers who try to fly the coop with our evidence will be brought to justice.”

Juan Jose Lucca Vega, 41, and Wanda Santos, 42, both of Utica, were arrested Tuesday evening and charged with a felony county of burglary and a count of training an animal for animal fighting for amusement. 

Vega and Santos are alleged to have broken into a Herkimer barn Tuesday night, where the Attorney General’s Office and the Herkimer County Humane Society had moved the chickens following their rescue last weekend. 

Prosecutors allege Vega and Santos broke padlocks authorities had installed on the barn doors and attempted to remove about 50 chickens, which were being treated for injuries sustained during cockfighting and are considered evidence in the case. 

Vega and Santos were each arraigned in theNewport Town Court and sent to the Herkimer County Jail. 

Their relationship to the other 41 individuals arrested as part of Operation Bloodsport is under investigation.

As announced earlier this week, in "Operation Bloodsport" state and local law enforcement agents – led by the New York State Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and the New York State Police – concluded a five-month investigation into a cockfighting network that was operating prohibited cockfights at a landscaping business in Herkimer County. 

The operation drew participants from numerous New York counties including Bronx, Erie, Herkimer, Monroe, New York, Oneida, Onondaga and Queens. 

The investigation resulted in the arrests of 41 individuals on June 17th for allegedly operating an illegal cockfighting operation in the town of Frankfort. Police seized nearly 200 gamecocks that were turned over to the Herkimer County Humane Society. 

A subsequent search of an adjacent barn resulted in the discovery of a game bird breeding and training facility. Police also seized bird-fighting paraphernalia, such as spurs or razors, which are attached to a bird’s talons to increase the carnage of the fight. 

In addition, heroin, several handguns, and over $68,000 in cash were seized. This investigation is part of  Schneiderman's ongoing efforts to combat animal cruelty and illegal animal fighting across New York state through his Animal Protection Initiative.

New York Farm Bureau Seeks Intervenor Status in Lawsuit Concerning Farmworkers Rights to Collectively Bargain

From New York Farm Bureau:

New York Farm Bureau is seeking to intervene in the farm labor lawsuit filed against the State of New York and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. 

The grassroots farm organization will file a motion today (Monday June 20) in State Supreme Court of Albany County to gain intervenor status in a lawsuit filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation. 

The NY Civil Liberties Union Foundation seeks to create a constitutional right for farmworkers to collectively bargain. The ultimate goal of New York Farm Bureau with today’s motion is for the court to dismiss the lawsuit.

New York Farm Bureau is taking this major step to defend farmers, who feel they have been abandoned by the governor and the New York Attorney General. Both leaders have made public statements supporting the lawsuit and refusing to defend state law, despite its importance to agriculture in New York state. 

New York Farm Bureau believes it has the right to intervene because the interest of its members will not be represented by the defendants – the governor and attorney general - and the ability of the organization’s members to continue to produce food for New York residents would be harmed in the event the plaintiffs prevail in this action.

Dean Norton

The motion reads, “Farm Bureau is uniquely situated to represent the varied perspectives of its member farms and to zealously defend the constitutionality of the challenged farm labor exemption.”

Farm Bureau believes the exemption of farmworkers from collective bargaining rights is constitutional, and that the exclusion of farmworkers from the State Labor Relations Act law is based on decades of rational public policy and legal precedent that will be outlined in NYFB’s motions to intervene and to dismiss.

New York Farm Bureau believes that the legal precedent is clear. This is not a question for the courts, and the NYCLUF is attempting to make an end-run around the legislature, which has not approved collective bargaining for farmworkers despite numerous opportunities.

“New York Farm Bureau has a century long record of defending the state’s family farms, and today’s action is one of the most important in our long history. If we can’t count on our state leaders to do the right thing in this case, we are prepared to stand up for our members in court to protect their rights,” said Dean Norton, New York Farm Bureau President.

Lawsuit Settled Against Group Caring for Retired Racehorses

This is from the Attorney General's office:

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the settlement of a lawsuit against directors of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Inc. (TRF), one of the nation's largest charitable organizations dedicated to caring for retired racehorses. 

The enforcement action charged that directors of the New York-based foundation’s board had neglected their duties by taking on more racehorses than the group could afford to care for, resulting in the neglect and mistreatment of many of these animals. 

Under the settlement, TRF will add a veterinarian, named by the Attorney General's office, to its board. A revamped board will also include a director nominated by an animal welfare organization and one nominated by members of the nation’s horse racing and breeding industry.

The settlement further requires the board to establish a five-person committee, consisting of the three new directors and two current board members not named as defendants in the lawsuit, charged with recruiting a new, full-time chief executive officer for the organization.

"New York needs the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation to be fiscally sound and responsibly managed. Our agreement to remake the board of directors will help put this important charity back on solid financial ground and able to care for the animals it receives – and it gives TRF a shot to reclaim its place as one of America's leading thoroughbred organizations,"Schneiderman said. "As it was previously constituted, the foundation's board proved unable to conduct necessary financial oversight and management."