A federal grand jury has charged five people, including one man from Albertville, with conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and running an illegal gambling business, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The two-count indictment names 30-year-old Denny Gonzalez-Guzman, of Albertville, 48-year-old James Shawn Murphree, of Blountsville, 22-year-old Kasten Finis Murphree, of Blountsville, 27-year-old Kelby Shawn Murphree, of Blountsville, and 48-year-old Kimberly Ann Evans, of Hayden.

They are accused of organizing cockfighting derbies in Blountsville, Alabama, between March and June 2025.

The DOJ says cockfights typically involve roosters fighting to the death, with spectators betting on the outcomes. Attendees reportedly paid $40 to watch, while competitors paid up to $1,0

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