Man Sentenced for Giving Alcohol to Hawk in Watts: A Case of Animal Cruelty
A man from Watts has been sentenced to jail time and probation for posting a video of himself giving alcohol to a hawk. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigated the incident after a YouTube video showed Cesar Gustavo Diaz feeding a BuzzBallz mixed cocktail to the bird. Diaz captured the hawk at a park in Whittier in June 2025. He released the hawk before officials could intervene, and its condition is unknown. Diaz pleaded no contest to animal cruelty charges and was sentenced to jail, probation, community labor, counseling, and fines. Cooper's hawks are protected under California and federal law, and harming wildlife is illegal.