Police recently seized two frozen alligators from a Lake Wales, Florida, home as well as a fish not allowed by law, a marijuana plant and a sizable quantity of methamphetamine. Two men of ages 32 and 29 and a 24-year-old woman in the home were taken into custody. The younger man and the woman were reportedly a couple, but the other man was apparently only visiting them when authorities raided the house.
Sheriff’s deputies from Polk County brought the visitor in on charges of methamphetamine possession and drug paraphernalia counts because of items allegedly found on his person at the time of the search warrant’s execution. The couple was taken into custody and charged with armed trafficking in methamphetamine, killing or possessing an alligator and negligent child abuse without bodily harm. That last charge was filed because the man and woman had 10-month-old twins in the house where the alleged drug activity went on. Some of the bags of drugs were found to be within reach of the children, an area newspaper reported.
Deputies said they found 279 grams of meth in the home as well as a potted marijuana plant and a number of devices used for smoking methamphetamine. The dead alligators were found in a freezer, according to police. The woman told deputies that she was planning to stuff the gators, but did not possess a permit for the animals.
Being convicted on federal drug crimes can mean many years behind bars. Individuals who have been jailed after the execution of a search warrant face serious consequences, but some criminal charges and penalties may be reduced though the arrangement of a plea bargain with the court.
Source: International Business Times, “Frozen Dead Gators, Meth Seized From Florida Home; Shane William Park, Cortney Lorraine Williams, Joshua Lee Mellon Arrested“, Howard Koplowitz, February 07, 2014