aw2x3
Active Member
...and it sucked.
About a week and a half ago, I had someone email me, interested in buying my pair of Cobras.
Back and forth, through email, I asked for proof of his permits, experiance, blah blah blah and a few days ago, we finally found a place to meet.
I show up, at 10am, to make the deal and everything is great. He showed up with a buddy and we talked for a while...snakes, the weather and whatever else.
As soon as he saw the Cobras, his buddy pulls out a cell and about 10 seconds later, Federal Conservation Officers are everywhere. Yes...I said Federal...not State.
The cop I talked to informed me what was going on, said I was in violation of the Illinois Injurous Animals Act and that I was NOT under arrest and that they were going to site me $100, confiscate my Cobras and just talk with me. Then, I'd be on my way, he said.
He said they were going to have to come back to my house, search it and verify there were no other venomous snakes and they'd be out of my hair.
I fully cooperated, even chit chatted with them, on the ride back to my house (Heather followed us, in her car, while I rode with two officers).
We get back to my house and before we walk in the door, more Federal boys show up. They were everywhere. I showed them the snakes I had, they took a written inventory, assured me nothing else would be confiscated and what not. They bummed cigarettes from me, I offered them something to drink, we laughed and talked and everything seemed just fine.
Then, they started asking me the name of my friend I got them from, where he lives, what his number was, how we got them, etc. I refused to narc and they weren't so nice anymore. It wasn't that I was afraid that my friend would get in trouble, because I know he wont, but I'm the type of person that won't sell someone else out. I don't want to cause trouble for other people, over some BS.
They searched my home, my computer, etc. and found my friends name and said that since I allowed them in the house, they didn't need a warrant, to search my computer.
Then, I was arrested...after they told me 15 times I wasn't going to be. Guys were in my snake room, alone and I was sure they packing stuff up and taking it but they didn't take anything else. They informed me that my 18' Burm was "a dangerous animal" but my 14' female and my 13' male wasn't and that I was going to have to get rid of Brutus...to which I replied..."Ummm...F off".
Heather and I both were booked into county jail and since she's from this area, she got bail quicker than I did. Plus, they were pretty much only after me. I sat in jail from 11am to 5pm and my mom had to drive 3.5 hours, to come bail me out.
Since they didn't find anymore venomous snakes, in my house (which is what they were looking for), they cited me for everything under the sun.
I'm being charged with:
1 count unlawful possession of an injurous animal (male albino Monocled Cobra)
1 count unlawful possession of an injurous animal (female albino Monocled Cobra)
1 count unlawful possession of an injurous animal (18' Burmese Python) - which is not illegal to own
1 count driving without insurance (because Heather couldn't find her insurance card)
1 count driving on a suspended license (which it isn't)
1 count unlawful possestion of a suspended license (because I had the actual license in my pocket)
The suspended license, insurance and unlawful possession of license will be dropped. I don't know what they're going to do about Brutus but I'm not giving him up. They didn't give two craps about my permits, for the Cobras, so I don't know how that's going to turn out.
My court date is the 22nd, of next month. I'm going to hire a lawyer...mainly, because I know how the judicial system works and I'm not a moron. I've been screwed one too many times.
What pisses me off the most is that the dude set me up, for this "sting operation". Almost 2 weeks of banter, back and forth. Him, being nice, talking about his wife and how much he loved snakes and this and that. I told them all if they would've just shown up, at my door or called me, I would've been just as cooperative and said "Here are the Cobras, where is my fine?"
$1100, in fines and bail. I'm also out the $1000 (aprox. what the Cobras were worth).
Sorry for the rant...I'm eating today, for the first time (8.13pm) and I'm considering not even eating...just going out and getting hammered drunk.
About a week and a half ago, I had someone email me, interested in buying my pair of Cobras.
Back and forth, through email, I asked for proof of his permits, experiance, blah blah blah and a few days ago, we finally found a place to meet.
I show up, at 10am, to make the deal and everything is great. He showed up with a buddy and we talked for a while...snakes, the weather and whatever else.
As soon as he saw the Cobras, his buddy pulls out a cell and about 10 seconds later, Federal Conservation Officers are everywhere. Yes...I said Federal...not State.
The cop I talked to informed me what was going on, said I was in violation of the Illinois Injurous Animals Act and that I was NOT under arrest and that they were going to site me $100, confiscate my Cobras and just talk with me. Then, I'd be on my way, he said.
He said they were going to have to come back to my house, search it and verify there were no other venomous snakes and they'd be out of my hair.
I fully cooperated, even chit chatted with them, on the ride back to my house (Heather followed us, in her car, while I rode with two officers).
We get back to my house and before we walk in the door, more Federal boys show up. They were everywhere. I showed them the snakes I had, they took a written inventory, assured me nothing else would be confiscated and what not. They bummed cigarettes from me, I offered them something to drink, we laughed and talked and everything seemed just fine.
Then, they started asking me the name of my friend I got them from, where he lives, what his number was, how we got them, etc. I refused to narc and they weren't so nice anymore. It wasn't that I was afraid that my friend would get in trouble, because I know he wont, but I'm the type of person that won't sell someone else out. I don't want to cause trouble for other people, over some BS.
They searched my home, my computer, etc. and found my friends name and said that since I allowed them in the house, they didn't need a warrant, to search my computer.
Then, I was arrested...after they told me 15 times I wasn't going to be. Guys were in my snake room, alone and I was sure they packing stuff up and taking it but they didn't take anything else. They informed me that my 18' Burm was "a dangerous animal" but my 14' female and my 13' male wasn't and that I was going to have to get rid of Brutus...to which I replied..."Ummm...F off".
Heather and I both were booked into county jail and since she's from this area, she got bail quicker than I did. Plus, they were pretty much only after me. I sat in jail from 11am to 5pm and my mom had to drive 3.5 hours, to come bail me out.
Since they didn't find anymore venomous snakes, in my house (which is what they were looking for), they cited me for everything under the sun.
I'm being charged with:
1 count unlawful possession of an injurous animal (male albino Monocled Cobra)
1 count unlawful possession of an injurous animal (female albino Monocled Cobra)
1 count unlawful possession of an injurous animal (18' Burmese Python) - which is not illegal to own
1 count driving without insurance (because Heather couldn't find her insurance card)
1 count driving on a suspended license (which it isn't)
1 count unlawful possestion of a suspended license (because I had the actual license in my pocket)
The suspended license, insurance and unlawful possession of license will be dropped. I don't know what they're going to do about Brutus but I'm not giving him up. They didn't give two craps about my permits, for the Cobras, so I don't know how that's going to turn out.
My court date is the 22nd, of next month. I'm going to hire a lawyer...mainly, because I know how the judicial system works and I'm not a moron. I've been screwed one too many times.
What pisses me off the most is that the dude set me up, for this "sting operation". Almost 2 weeks of banter, back and forth. Him, being nice, talking about his wife and how much he loved snakes and this and that. I told them all if they would've just shown up, at my door or called me, I would've been just as cooperative and said "Here are the Cobras, where is my fine?"
$1100, in fines and bail. I'm also out the $1000 (aprox. what the Cobras were worth).
Sorry for the rant...I'm eating today, for the first time (8.13pm) and I'm considering not even eating...just going out and getting hammered drunk.
