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Tampa Couple Accused Of Owning Fighting Roosters

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TBO.com

Published: February 13, 2009

Pedro Rodriguez

Maria Rodriguez

TAMPA - Deputies arrested a Tampa couple today, accusing them of owning roosters for cockfighting, records show.

Pedro Rodriguez, 35, and Maria Rodriguez, 30, are each charged with felony owning animals for fighting and felony owning equipment for animal fighting. Each was released from a Hillsborough County jail after posting $4,000 bail, jail records show.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested the two at their home at 11622 Timber Ridge Drive this morning after the State Attorney's Office directly filed the criminal charges.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said the charges stem from evidence found at the couple's home in December under a search warrant related to a marijuana-growing investigation. Detectives found several roosters and what appeared to be a cockfighting ring on the property, she said.

After that search, detectives charged Pedro Rodriguez with felony marijuana trafficking and felony manufacture of marijuana. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges; an outcome of that case is pending, online court records say.

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