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Man arrested after baby alligator, drugs were found during traffic stop

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Posted at 10:52 AM, Apr 11, 2022
and last updated 2022-04-11 13:53:22-04

NAPLES, Fla. — Police arrested a man in Florida after they found a baby alligator, weapons and drugs during a traffic stop.

31-year-old Michael Marolla was in the front passenger seat when a pickup truck was pulled over after midnight last Friday in Naples.

The driver was stopped because they were driving with a suspended license.

During the stop, a live baby alligator was found in an open, plastic tub in the bed of the truck.

Officers said they also found two firearms and loaded syringes with methamphetamine in Marolla’s jacket.

Marolla now faces a series of charges, including drug possession and carrying a firearm.

It does not appear he faces any charges for having a baby alligator.

It is illegal to own an alligator in the state of Florida, unless it is authorized by the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Wildlife officers are now investigating the incident.