Corvallis police on Tuesday arrested a Benton County man for running a cock-fighting operation.

Following an investigation that lasted more than a month, members of the street crimes unit searched the Van Beek Dairy on McFarland Road near Alpine and found more than 35 birds; about a dozen were roosters and the rest were hens used for breeding. Police seized as evidence two roosters that they said showed signs of having been used for the illegal fights. The rest of the birds were left at the dairy.

The man arrested was Martin Ramos-Reyes, 37. He was charged with one count of cock-fighting and one count of possession of methamphetamine after police found a small amount of the drug during a search of his home. He was booked into the Benton County jail and remains in custody.

According to police Lt. Tim Brewer, the investigation revealed Ramos-Reyes had claimed to be making as much as $30,000 a night from people gambling on the fights. Ramos-Reyes has made no statements to police, however.

Breeders attach razors up to

3 inches in length to the birds' claws for fighting, according to police Detective Brett Roach.

Ramos-Reyes is an employee at the dairy and lives there. Roach said information gathered during the investigation led police to believe birds had been bred and raised at the dairy for the last several years.

The dairy's owners, brothers Fred and Martin Van Beek, cooperated with the investigation and are not involved with a possible cock-fighting organization, police said.

Cock-fighting is new to Benton County, according to Brewer. It could be hard to track because the fights are likely moved from place to place.

"This is the first time it's come to our attention," Brewer said. "It's abusive to animals, and it appears it goes beyond cock-fighting; it involves gambling and drug use."

The investigation continues and more arrests are possible, police said.