CRAWFORD COUNTY : State drops cockfighting charges for testimony
Posted on Thursday, August 7, 2008
VAN BUREN - Charges are being dismissed against a central figure in a Crawford County cockfighting ring in return for his testimony in the federal forfeiture case against the operators of the ring.
Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune said he has asked a Crawford County circuit judge to dismiss four charges against Tony Villalobos, 63, of Stigler, Okla.
"He was considered a major player with inside information,"McCune said.
He said Wednesday he agreed to dismiss the charges after Villalobos gave a statement about his involvement in the cockfighting operation near Rudy that was raided by local, state and federal officers in May 2007.
Villalobos was one of the last of the more than 140 people arrested and charged in the raid whose case had not been resolved.
"He was the one with the most knowledge of what went on out there,"McCune said.
Villalobos was charged with operating a gambling house, criminal use of property for laundering criminal proceeds, engaging in a continuing criminal gang organization or enterprise and cruelty to animals.
More than 80 people were charged in circuit court with the same counts. Most were allowed to plead to misdemeanor charges and agree to a suspended sentence, fines and restitution.
About 60 people charged in Van Buren District Court pleaded to misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals.
McCune said Villalobos agreed to testify for the government in the forfeiture case against the property at 101000 Shiloh Road that records show is owned by Kenneth Stanley Donelson, 41, his wife, Cecilia Rose Donelson, 40, who lived at that address, and Michael Ray Donelson, 34, and his wife, Andrea Donelson, who live at 3409 Arkansas 59 in Van Buren.
A forfeiture complaint filed May 21, 2007, by the U. S. attorney's office states the government is seizing the property because it was used "in furtherance of an illegal gambling business."
The operation involved a small arena that included a fighting pit, bleachers, announcer's booth and concessions. About 20 people worked at the arena when fights were held.
After the 2007 raid, nearly 300 fighting cocks were euthanized.
The Donelsons are contesting the government's taking of the property, and a jury trial originally was scheduled for March in federal court before U. S. District Judge Jimm L. Hendren.
However, the case was placed on hold in January pending resolution of the criminal cases against the Donelsons in Crawford County.
Kenneth and Cecilia Donelson pleaded no contest earlier this year to operating a gambling house, criminal use of property for laundering criminal proceeds, engaging in a continuing criminal gang organization or enterprise and cruelty to animals. They agreed to a one-year suspended sentence, $ 1, 000 fine, $ 1, 000 restitution and $ 170 in court costs.
Michael Donelson pleaded no contest in February to a charge of cruelty to animals and was given a one-year suspended sentence, fined $ 500, ordered to pay $ 500 restitution and $ 170 court costs.
Andrea Donelson was not charged in the case.
U. S. attorney's office personnel were not available Thursday afternoon for comment on the status of the forfeiture case, which remains on hold.
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