CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — “Tiger King” star Bhagavan “Doc” Antle goes to jail — however not for so long as prosecutors needed — after admitting he broke federal legislation shopping for endangered animals to maintain at his zoo in South Carolina.
Antle, 65, was sentenced to at least one 12 months and someday behind bars and fined $55,000 on Tuesday, almost two years after he pleaded responsible to trafficking in unique animals and cash laundering. He entered his plea in November 2023.
It was possible the top to the authorized dramas that surrounded “Tiger King,” the Netflix true crime documentary that captivated a rustic shut down by COVID-19.
The star, Joe Unique, is serving a 21-year federal jail sentence for attempting to rent two completely different males to kill the opposite star, Carole Baskin. Unique, whose actual title is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was a collector and personal zookeeper from Oklahoma and Baskin, runs Massive Cat Rescue in Florida.
Antle appeared within the first season with Unique and Baskin and was the star of the present’s third season.
Prosecutors say Antle purchased animals on the black market
Antle’s crimes had been unrelated. He laundered cash utilized in a human smuggling scheme as a result of he wanted massive quantities of money rapidly to purchase animals like chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs and different creatures, Prosecutor Patrick Duggan mentioned. These animals are unlawful to promote as a result of they’re endangered, and their excessive costs may encourage poachers to steal them from the wild, Duggan defined.
“He was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling,” Duggan mentioned in court docket Tuesday.
Antle’s legal professionals requested a sentence of simply probation or house confinement, saying their consumer wanted to take care of the 150 unique animals that devour 1,000 kilos (454 kilograms) of meat a day at his Myrtle Seaside Safari. They mentioned lots of the animals solely reply to Antle.
Family and friends ask for mercy for Antle
About 25 family and friends packed a federal courtroom in Charleston. A number of instructed Decide Joseph Dawson III that Antle was beneficiant and caring. They mentioned he raised tons of of hundreds of {dollars} to battle poaching and protect wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees.
The decide was swayed. Federal tips known as for about two years in jail, to which prosecutors agreed. However Dawson mentioned, though Antle broke federal legislation, all of the proof pointed to him caring for animals.
Antle apologized on the finish of his sentencing listening to for inflicting issues for his life’s work.
“I made a mistake, I did stupid things,” Antle mentioned, including, “I hope I’ll be able to pull it back together for everybody.”
Antle wanted animals so Myrtle Seaside Safari may supply experiences
Antle’s Myrtle Seaside Safari was recognized for charging tons of or hundreds of {dollars} to let individuals pet and maintain child animals like lions, tigers and monkeys that had been so younger they had been nonetheless being bottle-fed. Clients would pay $200 for 5 minutes and pictures with a child chimp or $7,000 for a sleepover. Antle would generally journey into excursions on an elephant.
The zoo stays open by reservation solely.
Prosecutors mentioned Antle offered or purchased cheetahs, lions, tigers and a chimpanzee with out the right paperwork for a decade. They mentioned he additionally laundered greater than $500,000 so he may rapidly get money to purchase extra animals.
Antle is aware of federal legislation properly and was capable of keep away from prosecution for years, prosecutors mentioned. He would settle for a big “donation” for an animal to his conservation basis. He would declare to maintain the animal in the identical state he purchased it, however then transfer it to his Myrtle Seaside zoo, prosecutors mentioned.
FBI tapped telephone calls led to a number of prosecutions
The FBI was listening to Antle’s telephone calls with an informant as he defined a child chimpanzee may simply value $200,000. Personal zookeepers can cost tons of of {dollars} for pictures with docile younger primates or different animals, however the revenue window is just open for a couple of years earlier than the rising animals can now not be safely dealt with.
“I had to get a monkey, but the people won’t take a check. They only take cash. So what do you do?” Antle mentioned in accordance with a transcript of the telephone name in court docket papers.
Antle should quit three chimpanzees he purchased as a part of his plea deal.
Two of Antle’s workers have already been sentenced for his or her roles in his schemes.
Meredith Bybee was given a 12 months of probation for promoting a chimpanzee whereas Andrew “Omar” Sawyer, who prosecutors mentioned helped Antle launder cash, was given two years of probation.
Jason Clay, a Texas non-public zoo proprietor, pleaded responsible to illegally promoting a primate and was sentenced to 4 months in jail, whereas expenses had been dropped towards California ranch proprietor Charles Sammut.
