Connecticut, We Have a Problem—and It's Not Happening at Foxwoods

On May 16, 2026, the Connecticut State Police executed a massive, pre-planned raid on a suspected illegal gambling and cockfighting ring in the quiet, rural town of Tolland. Hidden away at a private residence and an inactive quarry on Mountain Spring Road, the operation resulted in one of the largest mass arrests in modern Connecticut history, with 100 people taken into custody.

Massive Operation

This was no casual local gathering; it was a heavily organized regional hub for blood sport and professional gambling. The homeowners and alleged ringleaders, Elvin Miranda, 59, and Lisa Miranda, 66, were arrested on the scene. The commercial scale of the event was stunning: attendees paid a $30 spectator fee just to get through the gate, an additional $30 for a ringside seat, and could even buy a plate of food such as hot dogs and pasta salad for $25 from a fully functioning basement concession stand.

Attendees traveled from all across New England, including Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The scale of the dragnet was so immense that the CT State Police Bureau of Special Investigations required tactical backup from the Massachusetts State Police, K9 units, and aerial drones to fully secure the perimeter and prevent suspects from fleeing into the woods.

By the end of the raid, state police had successfully seized approximately $90,000 in cash. Because a substantial number of the suspects spoke primarily Spanish, bilingual officers were required on-site to process the mountain of arrests. (Note: The full list of the 100 people arrested can be found via the Tolland Patch here).

Cruel and Unusual

The human element of the crime quickly gave way to animal tragedy. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture discovered hundreds of fighting birds on the property kept in horrific conditions. Ultimately, 273 roosters had to be euthanized due to their severely deteriorated and mutilated states. Taking the crime to an even darker level, authorities discovered a young child present amidst the gambling and animal cruelty, resulting in the Mirandas being hit with additional charges for Risk of Injury to a Minor.

One attendee, Jesus Maria Ventura Reyes of Jamaica, New York, was handed a sizable $50,000 bond by the court. The reason? This wasn't his first time traveling to Connecticut for blood sport. Reyes had been arrested just six months prior, in November, at a near-identical cockfighting ring busted by police in West Haven.

Between the Lines: Not in my backyard? Think again.

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