The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is charging nine individuals who allegedly killed alligators out of season. A plain clothes officer discovered the crime after overhearing a conversation between hunters at a convenience store.
Officer Jason Carroll was in a Wakulla County convenience store dressed in plain clothes when he overheard a group of hunters talking. Carroll befriended the group and saw several pictures of dead gators they had killed illegally. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Spokesman Stan Kirkland says hunting animals out of season is a serious crime.
“These individuals were just indiscriminately hunting alligators and using the meat. It’s not allowed. In this case these are misdemeanor arrests and we anticipate before things are over there’ll be eleven charges against the nine individuals.”
Each charge could mean up to one year in prison and a thousand dollar fine. The hunter’s firearms were confiscated.