Oxnard man sentenced for unlawful possession of an alligator
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – An Oxnard man was sentenced for the unlawful possession of an alligator on Tuesday, according to Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko.
Donny Askar, 45, pled guilty to charges for unlawful possession of the alligator and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, according to the DA's office.
The DA's office said that on March 2, 2021, Oxnard Police Department officers and the Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel searched Askar’s Channel Islands Harbor home where they found the alligator.
According to officials, California law classifies alligators as a restricted species and therefore requires a permit from the Department of Fish and Wildlife – which Askar did not possess.
The DA's office said Askar kept the alligator in an unsafe and unsanitary enclosure that potentially allowed for its escape.
On Tuesday, District Attorney Nasarenko said Askar was sentenced to 60 days in the Ventura County Jail, placed on probation for one year, and ordered to pay restitution to the California Fish and Game Preservation Fund.
