Connecticut Busts 100 People in Illegal Gambling Ring

The Connecticut State Police arrested more than 100 people last Friday, all of whom are suspected of having participated in an illegal gambling operation involving cockfighting.

Connecticut State Police Carries Out One of Its Most Ambitious Operations Against Illegal Gambling

The police raided a facility at 55 Mountain Spring Road at 1:29 pm and apprehended dozens of people, including bettors, onlookers, and organizers, with officers seizing as much as $90,000 cash from the venue and locating 273 birds at the site.

The birds had to subsequently be euthanized due to severe health conditions. Police also reported on the arrestees and identified the property owners, one Elvin Miranda, 59, and Lisa Miranda, 66. They now face a litany of charges. It was not just law enforcement that welcomed the outcome, with Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, having this to add:

“This operation sends a signal that if you engage in staged animal fighting, you will jeopardize your freedom. Even in an isolated quarry far from public view, law enforcement tracked this criminal enterprise, dismantled it, and rescued hundreds of animals from horrific abuse.”

They face cruelty to animals, professional gambling, as well as operating a gambling premise, and risk of injury to a minor as some of the charges cited by police when they were booked, with the culprits already posting a $250,000 cash or surety bond before being released and due to appear before the court in Rocksville Superior Court on June 18, 2026.

Multiple Defendants Named, Posting Bail, and Due in Court Throughout June

The operation against the alleged illegal gambling venue involved multiple agencies part of the broader Connecticut State Police team and was a well-coordinated effort that saw dozens of officers involved.

Among the agencies involved in the raid were the Emergency Services Unit Tactical Team, Aviation Unit, Drone Unit, K9 Unit, Eastern District Major Crime Unit, and Intelligence Operations Unit, along with other personnel, but also the Massachusetts State Police Special Tactical Operations Team, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, and others.  

However, the bonds posted by the venue’s owners are not the highest on record, with several other people arrested also posting bonds ranging from $10,000 to $500,000, and also to appear later in court at Rocksville Superior Court through June.