A man was sentenced to three years’ probation on Wednesday for releasing an alligator into a Los Angeles lake, sparking a massive hunt for the elusive reptile, prosecutors said.
The sentencing of one of two men charged in connection with unleashing the toothy beast came as the alligator, nicknamed Reggie, remained at large in the second largest United States city more than eight months after his release.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Robert Kawahara also ordered Anthony Brewer (36) to spend 45 days working to clear litter on California’s freeways after he pleaded no contest to violating the state’s Fish and Game Code.
A second suspect in the case, former Los Angeles police Officer Todd Natow (42) is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday on 14 misdemeanor charges related to Reggie’s release.
Natow and Brewer were arrested last August after authorities served search warrants at their homes, which are located within 10km of Lake Machado, where Reggie was released.
Authorities believe Brewer owned the alligator and gave it to Natow, and that Natow put it in Lake Machado because the animal had become too big for a backyard pond.
State law forbids possessing or transporting live alligators for private pet ownership, according to the Los Angeles city attorney’s office.
Reggie — who was last seen in Lake Machado last October — has eluded capture despite numerous efforts by several “gator-wranglers”.
Efforts to catch him were suspended during the winter months, when the cold-blooded reptile was expected to lay low.
The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation has incurred more than $155 000 in costs relating to increased security at the park since the alligator was discovered last August, prosecutors said. – AFP