The Johnson County Sheriff's Office arrested more than a dozen people and seized nearly 100 birds involved in a cockfight in Alvarado over the weekend.
Sheriff Bob Alford said deputies were called to the 9300 block of Sallys Way on Saturday night on reports of a cockfight.
When deputies arrived many attendees ran, but 17 people were detained.
According to Alford, 16 were arrested for "attending as a spectator an exhibition of a cockfight" and the 17th person was arrested for "cruelty to non-livestock animals."
The sheriff expects to arrest three other people in connection with the case.
Deputies and workers from the Humane Society of North Texas collected 97 roosters, hens, young chickens and chicks during the investigation, according to the sheriff's office. Six died due to their wounds and another three to five could die from their wounds or need to be euthanized.
The Johnson County Sheriff's Office said besides the birds, deputies also found a large amount of cockfighting paraphernalia, a small amount of drugs, alcohol, a pistol and evidence of gambling.
