Two 19-year-olds from Sarasota were arrested recently after capturing at least two alligators without proper permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The arrests stem from a months-long investigation by the FWC into allegations that a group of eight Sarasota-area teens was connected to the illegal capture of alligators in 2024. By investigating social media posts and searching phones and social media accounts, investigators determined the teens took alligators from Gator Creek Golf Club and Myakka River State Park without the required licenses. Since the arrested suspects were minors at the time of the alleged crime, the Herald-Tribune is not including their names.
Three other suspects were arrested on December 19 for the illegal take of alligators – Connor Riley Wiegand, 21, and two other teens…