ORLANDO, Fla. – A Florida man is facing charges after authorities say he had an alligator in an aquarium in his garage.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officers responded to a home in Orlando in early Oct. and said Christopher Abelard, 28, revealed a 3.5-foot-long alligator in a 35-gallon aquarium tank in his father’s garage.
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According to an incident report, Christohpher Abelard said the gator belonged to his dad, Jean Abelard, 50.
Officers said they spoke to the senior Abelard, and he said he picked the alligator up off the road while working on Sept. 23 and brought him home because he did not want someone to run it over or take it home and eat it.
FWC officers also said they found five boa constrictors in his garage.
According to the incident report, the live gator was released into Lake Apopka.
Jean Abelard faces charges for unlawful sale, possession and transporting of alligators and a misdemeanor for possessing wildlife.