Clay Davenport
Cerebral Nomad
Most of you probably remember the theft of ball pythons that Jeff Houston suffered. This is the sentencing of the man who committed the crime.
This is also a perfect example of why I and many other people do not invite people we don't know to our homes to buy a snake.
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Jeffery Quon also got three-years probation and must pay $25,000 to the Anaheim Hills man who owned the pythons.
City New Service
FULLERTON – An Anaheim Hills man pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony first-degree burglary and was sentenced to six months in jail in connection with the theft of $75,000-worth of exotic pythons, a prosecutor said.
Jeffery Quon also was placed on three-years probation and agreed to pay $25,000 within 30 days in restitution to the victim, Deputy District Attorney Patti Sanchez said.
The plea before Orange County Superior Court Judge Roger Robbins also included the enhancement that the loss exceeded $50,000, Sanchez said.
Jeff Houston, who owns more than 100 snakes, reported on Jan. 29, 2004, that 14 were missing from his Anaheim Hills home.
Houston set up a Web site, The Snake Keeper, with other collectors, who pooled their resources and offered a $50,000 reward for return of the snakes, police said.
Houston later scoured Internet sites, convinced the snakes would turn up as a commodity, and that hunch proved correct when he found a snake for sale matching the description of one of his and alerted police.
A detective met the seller, and arrested Quon. Eight other snakes were recovered at Quon's home, police said.
Quon had bought two baby snakes at Houston's home earlier, police said.
Houston, a pool contractor, said in published reports that he had been breeding rare snakes for 16 years as a source for retirement income.
He said his goal was to produce mutations of standard ball pythons, with bright and exotic markings.
Link to story (subscription)
This is also a perfect example of why I and many other people do not invite people we don't know to our homes to buy a snake.
----------------------------------------------------------
Jeffery Quon also got three-years probation and must pay $25,000 to the Anaheim Hills man who owned the pythons.
City New Service
FULLERTON – An Anaheim Hills man pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony first-degree burglary and was sentenced to six months in jail in connection with the theft of $75,000-worth of exotic pythons, a prosecutor said.
Jeffery Quon also was placed on three-years probation and agreed to pay $25,000 within 30 days in restitution to the victim, Deputy District Attorney Patti Sanchez said.
The plea before Orange County Superior Court Judge Roger Robbins also included the enhancement that the loss exceeded $50,000, Sanchez said.
Jeff Houston, who owns more than 100 snakes, reported on Jan. 29, 2004, that 14 were missing from his Anaheim Hills home.
Houston set up a Web site, The Snake Keeper, with other collectors, who pooled their resources and offered a $50,000 reward for return of the snakes, police said.
Houston later scoured Internet sites, convinced the snakes would turn up as a commodity, and that hunch proved correct when he found a snake for sale matching the description of one of his and alerted police.
A detective met the seller, and arrested Quon. Eight other snakes were recovered at Quon's home, police said.
Quon had bought two baby snakes at Houston's home earlier, police said.
Houston, a pool contractor, said in published reports that he had been breeding rare snakes for 16 years as a source for retirement income.
He said his goal was to produce mutations of standard ball pythons, with bright and exotic markings.
Link to story (subscription)
thats pretty cracked up stealing rare snakes straight from a house