Elderly Man Pleads Guilty to Cockfighting Charges

A 76-year-old southwestern Pennsylvania man has pleaded no contest to owning a bird used for cockfighting, though his attorney denies the man was involved in the illegal sport.

Monday's plea in Washington County court settled a case that began in August 2012 when state police raided Thomas MacFann's farm in West Pike Run Township.

The (Washington) Observer-Reporter says MacFann agreed to forfeit nearly eight dozen roosters seized during the raid, after prosecutors agreed to drop a related forfeiture action against his farm.
 
MacFann was sentenced to two years' probation after his plea.
 
Defense attorney Martin Dietz says "Mr. MacFann was not engaged in any illegal activity at the time of the search" -- and says cockfighting trophies at the farm were more than seven years old.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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