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Miami, FL - A Florida man's been hit with a $7,500 fine after he was spotted sacrificing animals in South Florida.
Police say the suspect, identified as Dany Machado Gomez, was spotted sacrificing animals on the beach in Virginia Key this week with the help of another individual.
The Virginia Key Outdoor Center posted photos and videos of dead chickens in boxes on the sand.
According to the center, two men killed two chickens and left their beheaded corpses wrapped in plastic bags on the beach Monday before workers at the center rescued six adult hens and over a dozen pigeons.
The Virginia Key Outdoor Center posted to Instagram "the pigeons were identified as being stolen the prior night from a breeder. Because they are trained for racing they were able to fly home. One white pigeon valued at over 2k is still missing. The hens are friendly breeder hens. Probably stolen too. I wish I had arrived earlier.”
Miami-Dade police confirmed Gomez, of Hialeah, claimed he was exercising his religious freedom by sacrificing the animals.
Police were limited in charging Gomez with more severe animal cruelty charges, but issued him nine citations totaling $7,500 for illegally dumping the carcasses and live chickens in a public park.