2 Arrested, More Likely After Harrah Cockfighting Ring Bust

Two people have been arrested after investigators stumbled across a cockfighting ring east of Harrah. Justin McHone, 38, and his girlfriend Tara Gentry, 41, were arrested after investigators found a cockfighting ring on their property while serving a sear

Wednesday, January 22nd 2020, 11:01 pm



Two people have been arrested after investigators stumbled across a cockfighting ring east of Harrah.

Justin McHone, 38, and his girlfriend Tara Gentry, 41, were arrested after investigators found a cockfighting ring on their property while serving a search warrant in a separate case.

The property is located on 3300 Road, approximately three miles east of Harrah.

McHone and Gentry were living in a camper trailer on the property.

More arrests are likely in the case as police have obtained security camera footage used by both suspects on the property to watch who entered and left the property.

It all started on January 15 in the 9800 block of Moccasin Lane, north of Harrah when Oklahoma County Sheriff’s deputies received a shots fired call.

“When the deputy arrived on scene, he knew (one of the victims) had an outstanding warrant for false declaration to a pawn broker,” said Mark Myers of the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office.

Brandon Oldham, 33, the victim identified, was arrested.

While Oklahoma County deputies investigated, they found reason to believe stolen property in a separate case would be found on McHone’s property.

“It was definitely sports memorabilia like baseball cards and other items,” Myers said. “I am told that there were several thousand dollars’ worth of stolen goods that were connected to a case here in Oklahoma County that were found in Lincoln County.”

When investigators arrived to serve a search warrant, they stumbled across a massive cockfighting ring.

 

 

“Once we were able to do a full count of the fighting chickens from last week, I believe they inventoried over 100 birds,” said Pottawatomie and Lincoln County District Attorney Allan Grubb. “Some with mating pairs.”

Investigators found a plethora of items including a living area for chickens, spurs with leather straps, two pistols next to a bed, a gaming book written in code, even drugs commonly used for prepping fighting chickens.

“These birds are going to have to be destroyed for the most part, we may be able to salvage some of the females, but the males have been doped up,” said Grubb. “There is no way without extensive veterinarian testing to tell which ones have steroids in them and which ones have poisons in them.”

A woman living in the property told investigators McHone's father fought roosters but has since passed.

McHone told investigators he hadn't fought the birds in over a year.

McHone and Gentry were arrested on complaints of instigating or encouraging a cockfight, keeping place, equipment, or facilities for cockfighting, and owning, possessing, keeping or training bird fighting.

Formal charges have yet to be filed due to the complexity, according to Grubb.

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