A young man in Florida faces numerous criminal charges for the alleged illegal hunting of 13 alligators in the St. Johns River. Jacob William Latreille, 21, was arrested on September 22 following an investigation led by officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC). According to court records from Brevard County, Latreille was charged with 13 felonies for killing, possessing, or capturing alligators without the permits required by state regulations—a third-degree felony, which could result in up to five years in prison for each charge if he is found guilty.
Authorities launched the investigation after receiving videos and photographs obtained from the cell phones of several individuals involved. Among them was Luke Landry, who appears in the images alongside Latreille, posing with the dead animals. The FFWCC report states that Latreille organized nighttime outings on an airboat along the St. Johns River, using a spotlight to navigate and hunt the alligators.
The images also show Latreille instructing others on how to capture the reptiles.
Investigators noted that Latreille did not have the required license or CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) tags, which are mandatory in Florida for alligator hunting. State regulations allow individuals to capture only two alligators per year between August 15 and November 1, and only after obtaining a state-issued permit. Over 15,000 people apply for the 7,000 available permits for Florida’s annual alligator hunt, with a cost of USD 272 for residents and USD 1,022 for non-residents.
Investigation and Arrest
Latreille’s arrest followed the collection of evidence through Snapchat videos and testimonies documenting the illegal activities in the Hatbill Park area of Brevard County. The videos show Latreille and Landry pursuing and capturing alligators over several nights, using methods such as triple hooks and guns. On April 19, Latreille and his companions captured seven alligators; on April 24, the capture and killing of a 1.5-meter specimen was documented. And on April 29, images surfaced of five dead alligators on the airboat’s deck.
Landry admitted to authorities that he had participated in cleaning the animals, receiving alligator meat as “payment” for his help. He also reported that most of the meat from the captures was transported by Latreille to Georgia. During a search of Landry’s residence, agents found additional evidence, including images of him cleaning alligators in his garage in Mims, Florida.
Accomplices and Evidence
FFWCC agents identified other potential accomplices from information extracted from confiscated cell phones. Among them were two men from Titusville and a woman, who were also allegedly involved in the hunting activities. Investigators tracked the individuals seen in the videos capturing, storing, and transporting live and dead alligators on Latreille’s airboat.
The modus operandi described by investigators indicates that the animals were hunted at night, stored in the airboat’s forward hatch, and later butchered. The videos and photographs presented as evidence show those involved handling alligators without any visible official tags, a requirement under Florida law for managing this protected species.
After his arrest, Latreille was released on a USD 6,500 bond. A court date has not yet been scheduled, and as of now, Latreille does not have legal representation, according to official records. The charges could result in up to 65 years in prison if he is found guilty on all counts, as each of the 13 crimes is considered a third-degree felony under Florida law.
Image: Infobae
