An anonymous caller tipped police off to a Florida man who plucked five alligator hatchlings from a nearby pond and plunked them into his bathtub, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Robert Lee Robinson of Saint Cloud, 38, was issued a criminal citation on October 23 for personal possession of wildlife without a permit, according to an incident report obtained by Fox News Digital.
FLORIDA ALLIGATOR SPOTTED WITH ‘BODY IN HIS MOUTH’
Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission extricated five baby alligators, pictured, from Robert Lee Robinson’s Saint Cloud home on October 23. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission )
Officers with the commission paid a visit to Robinson’s house at 12:50 p.m. to see for themselves to verify the tipster’s alligator allegations, per the report.
An individual sitting on the porch reportedly called Robinson out for police. The man admitted that there were, in fact, alligators in his bathroom and told the officers they could enter the home to see for themselves.
Wildlife officers photographed and collected the displaced reptiles, then made sure there weren’t any other wildlife in the buildinghen, they paid Robinson a visit at his workplace.
Hunting or possessing alligators or their eggs is a third-degree felony in Florida, per state law. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission )
The man told police that he caught the animals at the pond in nearby Estates Park. He was then issued a citation to appear in court at a later date.
Officers then released the alligators into Lake Tohopekaliga, per the Commission.
The tiny alligators were taken from a nearby pond, Robinson told police. After they were seized by police, the displaced reptiles were released into Lake Tohopekaliga, per the Commission. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission)
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Killing, injuring, possessing or capturing alligators or their eggs is a third-degree felony in Florida, per Chapter 379.409 of state law, and is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
According to data compiled from prosecutors across the state by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, six state residents – all from Central Florida – have faced criminal charges for illegally keeping alligators as pets over the past two years.
