WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, Sports3 dozen charged in cockfighting stings
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COLUMBIA, SC (WMBF) - Three dozen warrants were issued Friday for people allegedly involved in a pair of cockfighting operations in Lexington and Williamsburg Counties, according to South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster.
McMaster said in a press release, the warrants come following a 13-month undercover investigation in which SC Department of Natural Resources officers attended cockfighting events near Swansea in Lexington County and near Oceida in Williamsburg County.
Cockfighting is a misdemeanor violation, and is punishable to one year imprisonment or a $1,000 fine.
In 2005, McMaster led an effort to increase the state's maximum penalty for cockfighting from 30 days to one year imprisonment for a first offense. A second or subsequent offense now carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment.
"Cockfighting is a crime that leaves an ugly scar on our community," McMaster said. "The criminal underworld surrounding it is a haven for drugs, violence, and gambling. This sting would not have been possible without the dedicated officers of DNR who led and executed this operation."
Those charged in Lexington County include:
Those charged in Williamsburg County include:
All offenses will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.
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