Cockfighting Operation Exposed in Texas, Oklahoma

WASHINGTON, D.C. — An undercover investigation released Wednesday exposes a sprawling criminal enterprise across Oklahoma and Texas, linking cockfighting operations to narcotics trafficking, political corruption and international organized crime.

The report by Animal Wellness Action and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) identifies the so-called “Texoma Cockfighting Corridor” — stretching from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Dallas, Texas — as a major hub for illegal animal fighting and a broader network of criminal activity.

Investigators documented the shipment of thousands of fighting birds from the U.S. to criminal groups in Mexico and the Philippines. The report also connects the illegal trade to money laundering, illegal gambling and drug trafficking.

“We’ve uncovered an organized crime network that is not only violent but also vast in its global reach,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “Animal fighting is a crime wave in action.”

One Dallas-area company, identified as North Texas Livestock Shipping Company, allegedly acts as a broker for birds raised in the U.S. and shipped overseas. The investigation claims the company violated federal export and animal fighting laws by shipping birds aboard commercial airlines, including Korean Airlines, to feed billion-dollar gambling markets in Asia.

In Oklahoma, investigators say local political corruption has helped shield cockfighting networks from prosecution. The Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission — led by known cockfighters Anthony Devore and Blake Pearce — was fined $10,000 in September by the state Ethics Commission and ordered to disband for raising campaign funds through illegal bird sales. Gov. Kevin Stitt was also linked to the group through a video appearance at a cockfighting convention.

The report also names convicted felons John Bottoms and Bobby Fairchild as active figures in the illegal trade. Bottoms allegedly shipped more than 1,700 roosters to Guam via U.S. Mail. Fairchild, with prior ties to drug cartels, is accused of continuing to operate a large-scale gamefowl farm in Coalgate, Oklahoma, with birds trafficked to Mexico and the Philippines.

“These pits aren’t backyard operations — they’re hubs for narcotics, illegal gambling, and sometimes even human trafficking,” said SHARK President Steve Hindi.

The report urges federal agencies — including the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service — to investigate the findings. Advocates are also calling for the passage of the FIGHT Act, which would strengthen federal enforcement tools against animal fighting crimes.