JEFF DAVIS COUNTY, Ga. — The Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office announced a dozen Georgians were arrested earlier this month for operating a chicken fighting operation in the county.

In early June, deputies said a series of search warrants were executed by multiple law enforcement agencies in Jeff Davis County and Appling County, leading to the arrests.

Officials said the investigation began in February, with the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Department of Agriculture investigating “chicken fighting derbies” in Hazlehurst, Georgia.

On June 3, and over the next few days, 10 agencies “descended on a property in the Graham area,” searching two homes and a barn where the suspected chicken derbies were happening, according to the sheriff’s office.

In that location, deputies say, “agents discovered chicken fighting tools, pens, cages, blind boxes, discarded dead roosters, drugs, firearms and large sums of cash.”

On June 4, a warrant served in Appling County found “two individuals at the residence attempting to remove evidence from the home. Agents discovered chicken fighting tools, ammunition, suspected marijuana, suspected methamphetamine, and a stolen firearm in a vehicle.”

Deputies say nine weapons were recovered that had been taken from the house the night before.

The next day, another warrant served at a 10-acre property and residence led to the discovery of “100 rooster pens, chicken fighting tools, several firearms, and large sums of cash.”

Deputies say 12 people were arrested in connection to the cock fighting operation, and a total of 28 firearms were removed from three convicted felons’ possessions, along with more than $90,000 in cash.

The following individuals were arrested.

• Ricky Lamar Stone, 62, Hazlehurst, Ga. - aggravated animal cruelty x5, commercial gambling x5, more charges pending.
• Ramona Stone, 60, Hazlehurst, Ga. - parties to a crime of animal cruelty x5, parties to a crime of commercial gambling x5, possession of a scheduled 4 controlled substance.
• Lowell Edward White, 61, Baxley, Ga. - cruelty to animals x5, commercial gambling x5, criminal solicitation.
• Robert Newton White, 64, Baxley, Ga. - tampering with evidence, obstruction of law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug-related objects, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, theft by receiving stolen property (firearm).
• Jonah Caleb White, 21, Baxley, Ga. - tampering with evidence, obstruction of law enforcement officer.
• Eddie Wayne Bush, 60, Hazlehurst, Ga. - aggravated cruelty to animals, commercial gambling.
• Dallas Neil Spivey, 39, Ambrose, Ga. - parties to a crime of cruelty to animals x2, commercial gambling x2.
• Justin Lewis Brown, 35, Uvalda, Ga. - parties to a crime of cruelty to animals, commercial gambling.
• Kailey Nicole Rogers, 23, Uvalda, Ga. - parties to a crime of cruelty to animals, commercial gambling.
• James Craig Scott, 64, Alma, Ga. - parties to a crime of cruelty to animals, parties to a crime of commercial gambling.
• Haley Marie McKinnon, 23, Hazlehurst, Ga. - possession of fentanyl, tampering with evidence, possession of drug-related objects.
• Cashus Jordan Crosby, 30, Hazlehurst, Ga. - possession of fentanyl, possession of drug-related objects. Crosby had an active arrest warrant for possession of methamphetamine which was served at the time of his arrest.

According to the sheriff’s office, the investigation -- a joint effort between the USDA, the sheriff’s office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- is ongoing. They say more arrests are expected.

©2023 Cox Media Group