Alligator found in Kentucky leads to man facing charges: Wildlife officials

BIG LAUREL, Ky. (WXIX) – A Harlan County man was charged with illegally transporting an alligator with out informing the Kentucky Division of Fish and Wildlife Sources on July 6.

Cameron Cornett, 23, was in possession of a 4.5-foot-long alligator that he transported from Florida to Massive Laurel, Kentucky, in response to a Kentucky Division of Fish and Wildlife Sources press launch.

A Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer, Kyle Clark, and a Fish and Wildlife technician, Aaron Smith, acted on a tip they obtained on June 19. The pair searched by means of Greasy Creek for the alligator.

After Clark and Smith discovered the unique animal, they left to retrieve the correct gear to seize it, however after they returned, they solely discovered a path of blood resulting in KY Freeway 2008.

The investigation led Clark to a bloody truck mattress on the house of Cornett’s relative, in response to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

The alligator was saved in an enclosure within the yard however had escaped just a few weeks earlier, Cornett’s relative mentioned.

“Kentucky Fish and Wildlife sometimes receives stories of alligators and caimans in state waterways,” Officer Clark mentioned. “There are explanation why we’ve got legal guidelines in place prohibiting the importation of unique and inherently harmful animals.”

When Cornett noticed a video of the alligator circulating on social media, he grew to become involved and ordered for his relative and one other particular person to kill the alligator, the relative defined.

“Alligators don’t make good pets. Even a smaller one can injure an individual,” Clark added. “When an alligator grows past an individual’s capability to take care of it, oftentimes it will get launched into the wild, after which it turns into a possible hazard to others. Apart from, it’s unlikely to outlive by means of the winter.”

Cornett was cited on June 23 and has been charged with illegally transporting and possessing an inherently harmful unique (non-native) animal, not reporting its escape to the Division of Fish and Wildlife Sources and never having a allow or documentation for different unique animals in his possession, in response to a Fish and Wildlife press launch.

Cornett’s subsequent arraignment shall be on August 8.

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