Florida man allegedly stabs alligator to death, tries to sell the meat
LAKELAND, Fla. -- A Florida man has been charged with killing an alligator and trying to sell its butchered remains, reports CBS affiliate WKMG-TV.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it received a report Sunday afternoon from concerned Lakeland, Florida residents, who said 33-year-old Shaun Sparks was trying to sell them an alligator tail.
A licensed trapper responded and found the seven-foot alligator's carcass. The animal had been stabbed multiple times, officials said.
Sparks was arrested and charged with two counts of possessing and killing an alligator. Hunting alligators is illegal in Florida without proper permitting.
After his arrest, Sparks told officers he had taken the meat home to show his girlfriend, Christy Michelle Vincent, 27. She was also arrested and faces one count of possessing an alligator.
Jail records didn't list attorneys for Sparks or Vincent.