RICHMOND, Va. (WMBF/Grey Information) – The Myrtle Seaside, South Carolina, safari proprietor featured within the fashionable “Tiger King” Netflix collection prevented jail time in his Virginia case.
A decide sentenced Bhagavan “Doc” Antle on Tuesday morning to a two-year suspended sentence, 5 years of probation and a $10,000 tremendous, in keeping with the Virginia court docket system. He’s additionally banned for 5 years from working with, proudly owning, shopping for, promoting or buying and selling unique animals.
In June, a jury discovered Antle responsible of two counts of wildlife trafficking and two counts of conspiring to wildlife site visitors. He had confronted a possible sentence of as much as 20 years in jail, the Related Press reported.
Investigators stated Doc Antle illegally bought lion cubs in Frederick County, Virginia, for show at Myrtle Seaside Safari.
“Antle escaped a jail sentence this time, however he’s nonetheless dealing with a number of federal expenses for alleged cash laundering and alleged wildlife trafficking of animals, together with endangered cheetahs and a chimpanzee. Primarily based on his convictions in Virginia and his years of mistreating animals, together with tearing child huge cats, chimpanzees, and different animals away from their moms for use in public encounters, PETA is asking on federal authorities to terminate the licenses that preserve his sleazy roadside zoo working,” stated Debbie Metzler, the PETA Basis director of captive animal welfare.
Antle nonetheless faces a number of federal expenses in connection along with his dealings at Myrtle Seaside Safari. Authorities arrested Antle in Horry County in June 2022 on cash laundering expenses.
He and his enterprise affiliate, Andrew Sawyer, are accused of laundering over $500,000 in money that they believed to be the proceeds of an operation to smuggle immigrants illegally throughout the Mexican border.
He was then charged in a federal wildlife trafficking case, the place he’s accused of illegally trafficking animals equivalent to lemurs, cheetahs and a chimpanzee.
Presently, no trial date is ready on the federal expenses towards him out of South Carolina.
