Fabian Castro, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison on April 24, 2019, for his role in a brutal cockfighting operation run out of a ranch in rural Nebraska. Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard handed down the sentence after Castro pleaded guilty to one count of participation in an animal fighting venture, a federal offense carrying stiff penalties and long-term consequences.
The case, investigated by the Lincoln office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), centers on a bloody underground circuit where roosters were trained to fight to the death while spectators placed illegal bets. During a raid on the property tied to Juan Pablo Sanchez Delgado, authorities found 31 gamecocks in Castro’s possession—birds with slashed combs, broken spurs, and scarred bodies, clear evidence of repeated combat and prolonged abuse.
Castro admitted in court that he served as the primary trainer for Sanchez Delgado’s animal fighting venture, overseeing the conditioning, sharpening, and sparring of the birds ahead of matches. The operation wasn’t just about cruelty—it was a structured gambling enterprise where the pain and death of animals fueled cash payouts and illicit entertainment.
Alongside the 16-month prison term, Castro will face two years of supervised release upon his deportation or release from federal custody. The sentence sends a clear message: federal prosecutors are cracking down on organized animal fighting rings, treating them not as fringe pastimes but as criminal enterprises tied to gambling, smuggling, and violent subcultures.
Juan Pablo Sanchez Delgado, the alleged ringleader, is set to be sentenced on July 10 at 10 a.m. before Judge John M. Gerrard. Authorities have not yet disclosed the full scope of his involvement, but the timing suggests prosecutors are building a broader case against the network supporting the fights.
This conviction marks another strike by federal agencies against deeply entrenched animal fighting syndicates in the Midwest. The USDA, often overlooked in federal law enforcement, continues to play a pivotal role in dismantling these networks—one bloody pit at a time.
Related Federal Cases
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- Pilot ‘Pajaro’ Bell Jailed for Flying Drugs Across U.S. · Colorado
- Mexican National Solorio-Cruz Gets 46 Months for Meth Runs in Omaha · Iowa
- MS-13 Associate Lamadrid Campuzano Jailed for Illegal Return · Iowa
Key Facts
- State: Nebraska
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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