Eastern Ky. man charged after investigators find out he brought alligator from Florida
A man out of Harlan County is facing charges after allegedly bringing an alligator from Florida and keeping it as a pet, according to court records.
A citation for Cameron Cornett, 23, says Cornett brought a 4.5-foot alligator from Florida to his residence in Big Laurel with the intention of keeping it as a pet. At some point the alligator escaped, and Cornett had been looking for it for about a month.
The alligators whereabouts were not known until a video of the reptile swimming in Greasy Creek went viral, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The department became aware of the video on June 19 and began an investigation.
Early the next day, an officer and technician found the alligator. They went to retrieve equipment to capture the alligator and when they returned, the alligator was missing and a blood trail on the bank of the creek leading to the highway was visible.
Court documents allege that Cornett’s brother had the alligator killed to keep him out of trouble.
Cornett was going to bury the alligator in Cumberland but the officer was able to seize it beforehand, according to court documents.
Cornett was cited on June 23 and charged with illegally transporting and possessing an inherently dangerous exotic (non-native) animal, not reporting its escape to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and not having a permit or documentation for other exotic animals in his possession, according to court records.
Cornett also had several legal exotic reptiles and an endangered alligator snapping turtle that had previously escaped an enclosure, according to court documents.
