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COUPLE ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF FEEDING ALLIGATORS July 27, 2005 On Friday, July 22, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Officers arrested a Charlotte County couple for deliberately feeding an alligator; an offense that the agency’s alligator experts say is often associated with fatal attacks against humans. James Johnny Jones, D.O.B. 9/21/69, of 8124 Alfred Blvd., Punta Gorda, and Jackie L. O’Neil, D.O.B. 5/21/70, also of the same address, were charged with feeding alligators, a second degree misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 and/or 60 days in jail. “When fed, alligators quickly lose their natural fear of people and begin to associate human presence with a feeding opportunity. This altered behavior creates a significant danger that jeopardizes the safety of anyone who may come into contact with that animal,” said Harry Dutton, head of the FWC alligator management section. FWC Officers Donna Caro, Jason Forker and Investigator Larry Jernstedt acted on a tip from an anonymous source who had witnessed a man, a woman and two children feeding an alligator from a boat on the Peace River. When they received another call from the anonymous source that the couple had returned, officers staked out the area and were able to video and photograph the feeding. The arrests were made at about 1:30 p.m. on a portion of the river known as Jim Long Lake. FWC trappers were dispatched immediately and removed two aggressive alligators, 8 foot 9 inches and 5 foot 11 inches in length, from the area. Jones is a legally licensed commercial crab fisherman. A check revealed Jones had an active warrant from Charlotte County for unspecified charges. He was transported to Charlotte County jail for those charges by a sheriff’s deputy. Jones’ and O’Neil’s arrest comes in the wake of an unrelated fatal alligator attack that occurred in nearby Port Charlotte a week earlier. On the evening of July 15, Kevin Albert Murray, 41, of 1763 Stimmel St., North Port was swimming in a canal off the Myakka River when a 12-foot-2-inch alligator attacked and killed him. Residents of the area claimed that alligator had been fed. It is illegal to feed alligators and the FWC strongly recommends not feeding other wildlife where alligators might be present. Feeding ducks, turtles or throwing fish scraps in the water where alligators can associate humans with a feeding opportunity, is tantamount to feeding an alligator. Information on how to prevent problems with alligators is listed in the FWC’s “Living with Alligators” brochure found online at MyFWC.com/gators. Anyone having information about the feeding of alligators is urged to report the incident to the toll free Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922. Those reporting violations may remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward. Nuisance alligators should be reported to the FWC by calling toll free (866) FWC-GATOR ((866) 392-4286). |
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