ST. MARTIN PARISH — It has been awhile since law enforcement agencies broke up a major cockfighting ring in the parish.

It was seven years ago that more than 300 chickens were seized, including 48 fighting roosters, in a ring that was set up at a residence in Breaux Bridge.

Parish deputies arrested three people.

Earlier this month, on Father’s Day weekend, 18 people were arrested after deputies investigated reports of a suspected ring in the 2300 block of Main Highway in Cecelia.

Numerous men were conducting cockfights in the woods, resulting in charges of cockfighting and cruelty to animals.

As a bonus, one of the men was found to be dealing drugs.

William Francis Jr., 35, of Youngsville was found with bags of crack cocaine and marijuana, along with an illegal handgun. Deputies said Francis is a convicted felon, banned from possessing guns.

He was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute a schedule 1 drug, manufacture, distribution and possession with intent to distribute a schedule 2 drug, possession of a firearm while committing a crime, possession of a concealed firearm as a convicted felony and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The others charged: Marcus Faulk, 26, Lafayette; Paul Green, 26, Lafayette; Justin Melancon, 26, Lafayette; Johnny Boudreaux, 51, Abbeville; Johnathan Simmons, 50, Lafayette; Robert Jolivette, 56, Lafayette; Anthony Babineaux, 39, Lafayette; Willie Jackson, 65, Lafayette; Damon Gage, 44, Abbeville; Ernest Williams, 38, Lafayette; Myles Dugas, 20, Lafayette; Alexis Benoit, 47, Duson; Cornelius Stevens, 41, Lafayette; Jordon Hanks, 34, Lafayette; Tyler Alexander, 32, Carencro; Jared Helaire, 31, Breaux Bridge; Colby Thomas, 20 Lafayette; and Lesley Barber, 27, Jennings.

Louisiana was the last state in the country to ban cockfighting. The state passed a law in 2008 after years of wrangling. The “sport” has long been embedded in Louisiana culture and the law was not passed without a battle.

“You will have people saying they are going to keep fighting their roosters, “ despite the law, Chris Daughdrill said in 2008. “People who have been in it forever and forever will stay in it.”

Daughdrill was president of the Louisiana Game Fowl Breeders Association, the cockfighters trade organization.

The law has been challenged numerous times since it was passed. In 2014, the law gained more teeth when it was amended to provide stronger penalties for those who operate and participate in what many call a “blood sport.”

The last known challenge to the law came in 2020 when Lloyd Plumbar, pastor of Holy Fight Ministries filed a lawsuit claiming the law violated his constitutionally-protected religious freedoms.

“Reverend Plumbar, Holy Fight Ministries and its congregation hold the sincere religious belief that cockfighting represents that while they strive for CHRIST, they have a necessary symbolic physical manifestation, an epiphany through the fighting cock, a religious mandate of the struggle between good and evil, a struggle for life or death for the Salvation of the soul, and thus cockfighting is an integral and essential part of their religious faith,” wrote attorney Jim Holt in 2020.

The lawsuit cites scriptures that detail humans having “dominion” over animals. It further argues cockfighting within the church won’t spill out into a public issue, citing the religious exemption given to peyote users.

The lawsuit was summarily dismissed in 2021.