Oswego Township, IL – A man and woman from Oswego Township are facing felony charges after authorities allegedly uncovered an illegal cockfighting operation during a court-authorized search Monday.
According to the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, detectives began investigating suspected violations of the Illinois Animals in Entertainment Act on June 22. On Monday, a search warrant was executed at a residence in the 1000 block of Harvey Road in Oswego Township, where officers reportedly found a large number of chickens along with evidence believed to be linked to organized cockfighting.
The recovered animals were removed from the property with assistance from Kendall County Animal Control and Adoption Center and the Kendall County Emergency Management Agency. The chickens are now under the care of Kendall County Animal Control.
Following the investigation, the Kendall County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Jose Martinez, 40, and Veronica Jaime, 46, both residents of the searched home, with a total of 21 criminal counts. Both were charged with ten counts of owning animals for sport fighting, ten counts of training animals for sport fighting, and one count of breeding animals for that purpose. All of those charges are classified as Class 4 felonies. They also face a Class A misdemeanor for possession of ammunition without a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card.
Martinez and Jaime were processed at the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office and released Tuesday with pre-trial conditions following a court hearing. The investigation remains active, and further updates are expected.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to animal fighting or cruelty to contact the sheriff’s office or Kendall County Animal Control.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
Follow us on Instagram & Facebook for more relevant new stories and SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT NEWS! Have a tip? Message us!
