Providence man pleads guilty to cockfighting charges

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Providence man pled guilty to cockfighting charges on Tuesday, according to the Department of Justice.

Onill Vazquez Lozada pled guilty to two counts of possessing, sponsoring, and exhibiting birds in an animal fighting venture in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

In court, Lozada admitted he “possessed roosters for the purpose of having them fight” on April 27, 2021, as well as “sponsored and exhibited, and aided and abetted sponsoring and exhibiting, at least one rooster in a fight against another rooster” on March 6, 2022, according to the DOJ.

On March 6, 2022, Miguel Delgado, 73, of Providence, allegedly hosted a sequence of cockfights, also known as “derbies.”

Lozada faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each charge.

U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose accepted Lozada’s plea. He will be sentenced after the judge receives and reviews a sentencing report.