“Tiger King” star Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, received a hefty sentence Tuesday for his conviction of four felonies related to endangered lion cubs.
The office of the attorney general in Frederick County, Virginia, found Antle guilty in June of two felony counts of wildlife trafficking and two felony counts of conspiring to wildlife traffic over the sale and use of endangered lion cubs, the office said in a press release. He was sentenced on Tuesday to two years for each charge on a suspended sentence, each of which to run concurrently.
Antle is also required to pay a $2,500 fine per conviction, totaling $10,000. But, most damningly for the man who creates a career from being an exotic wildlife enthusiast, he’s no longer allowed to work with the animals. Antle’s sentence includes the stipulation that he is not allowed to work, own, broker, buy, sell, trade, transfer, possess, barter, or even donate to any exotic animals for a minimum of five years in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“Today concludes a multi-year investigation and prosecution by my office. In Virginia, we uphold the rule of law without exception, whether dealing with violent repeat offenders, big pharma, fraudsters and scammers, or wildlife traffickers. This case sends a clear message that bad actors will not be tolerated in the Commonwealth,” Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares said in a statement.
Joe Exotic reappeared only to leave again too soon https://t.co/cIgoppu5hw
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 26, 2023
Separate federal charges remain pending against Antle, PETA explained. These charges relate to alleged involvement in a money-laundering scheme, including the trafficking of other endangered animals. (RELATED: REPORT: Carole Baskin’s ‘Dead’ Husband Is Allegedly Alive)
“Antle escaped a prison sentence this time, but he’s still facing multiple federal charges for alleged money laundering and alleged wildlife trafficking of animals, including endangered cheetahs and a chimpanzee,” PETA director Debbie Metzler said in a statement. “Based on his convictions in Virginia and his years of mistreating animals, including tearing baby big cats, chimpanzees, and other animals away from their mothers to be used in public encounters, PETA is calling on federal authorities to terminate the licenses that keep his sleazy roadside zoo operating.”
Antle is best known for his role in the cult-classic docuseries “Tiger King.” He also received his own spin-off documentary dedicated to his life and career, and it definitely didn’t paint him in a great light.