Rooster Ring Busted: Alabama Cockfighting & Gambling Scheme Uncovered

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A brutal world of bloodsport and backroom betting has been exposed in rural Alabama. A federal grand jury has indicted five individuals for their alleged roles in a large-scale cockfighting and illegal gambling operation, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona announced today. The charges stem from a long-term investigation that peeled back layers of cruelty and criminal activity.

The indictment names James Shawn Murphree, 48, of Blountsville, Alabama; Denny Gonzalez-Guzman, 30, of Albertville, Alabama; Kasten Finis Murphree, 22, of Blountsville, Alabama; Kelby Shawn Murphree, 27, of Blountsville, Alabama; and Kimberly Ann Evans, 48, of Hayden, Alabama. All five are charged with conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act and the Prohibition on Illegal Gambling Businesses. If convicted, they face significant federal penalties.

Cockfighting, as outlined in the indictment, is a barbaric “sport” where roosters are pitted against each other in violent contests, often to the death. These fights aren’t just spontaneous brawls; they’re meticulously organized events, complete with referees and, sickeningly, weapons – sharp spurs or blades – attached to the birds’ legs. The indictment details how these “pits” host “derbies,” tournaments where owners gamble heavily on their roosters, and winners collect a share of entry fees or the increased value of their fighting birds. It’s a lucrative, and inhumane, business.

Prosecutors allege that between March 2025 and June 2025, Evans, James Murphree, Kasten Murphree, and Kelby Murphree conspired to host multiple cockfighting derbies in Blountsville. The operation wasn’t cheap to attend. Spectators reportedly paid $40 to witness the gruesome spectacle, while competitors shelling out between $700 and $1,000 to enter their roosters. The winning rooster’s owner stood to gain a significant portion of the total prize pool.

The takedown was the result of a coordinated effort by the Gulf of America (“GoA”) Homeland Security Task Force, comprised of Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Support was also provided by the United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, and ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Jonathan S. Cross are leading the prosecution.

This case falls under “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation streamlines resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). It’s crucial to remember that an indictment is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But for now, this rooster ring is grounded, and those allegedly involved will have to answer for their actions.”